


I Will Follow You

by cleithroph0bia



Category: Supernatural
Genre: M/M, My First Destiel Fanfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-25
Updated: 2014-05-27
Packaged: 2018-01-26 12:58:13
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 16
Words: 23,568
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1689149
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cleithroph0bia/pseuds/cleithroph0bia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>SU, set sometime after season 5. Even after Dean thinks he loses Sam, Cas is there looking over him, just out of sight. No matter the pain these two encounter, one thing remains constant; their profound bond.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Castiel had been around since Earth's genesis. Since the beginning of the human race, he had quietly sat in heaven, keeping a steady eye on the people who he observed so skeptically. They intrigued Cas, with every little thought and feeling that that existed within their minds. He studied the emotions, both good and bad; happiness, sadness, anger, jealousy, greed, and lust. But the one that interested him more than any other, was love. For thousands of years he watched as humans lived, died, and killed for love. He examined this emotion from merely a third-person perspective, never experiencing it for himself. Then one day, he received an order to retrieve one of these human beings from Hell. His name was Dean Winchester.

In the short time Castiel had known Dean and his brother Sam, they had been responsible for starting the apocalypse and ending it. Not long before, Castiel had seen the human beings as powerless little ants, simultaneously making love and war, but he admired the brothers. Their commitment to saving lives and protecting each other was something beautiful.

He quickly grew to care for them, especially Dean. Castiel had saved Dean from Hell, pulling him out, leaving his handprint scorched into his shoulder. He felt connected to him, a profound bond, drawing him to the human. These feelings he held for Dean in his heart were new to him entirely. He wasn't quite sure how to define them, and he wasn't sure how to deal with them, but he was sure that he was responsible for him.

It was six months ago that the Winchesters had saved the world from Lucifer. Sam had decided to sacrifice himself, giving Lucifer permission to enter his body, only to retake control of his mind and jump back in the cage. Both Castiel and Bobby had died during this encounter, and Dean beaten to a bloody pulp. The last thing Cas remembered before exploding into a cloud of red at the hands of Lucifer, was protecting Dean from Michael. Something had brought him back, but he wasn't sure what. 

When he returned, he saw the lump on the ground, taking slow heavy breaths, covered in his own blood. He kneeled down beside Dean and pressed two fingers to his forehead, watching the life reenter his green eyes. As Dean gained his strength back, his eyes, locked on Cas, transitioned from a sleepy emptiness to somewhere between confusion and relief. 

"I saw you - die.." Dean said, his words broken between raspy breaths. Castiel said nothing, and walked towards Bobby's lifeless corpse. He mirrored the act of healing Dean, resurrecting Bobby, and looked back towards Dean. The hunter was no longer looking at Cas but at the spot of grass where his brother had sunk into Hell. The angel's eyes narrowed with concern as he watched droplets well up in the eyes of his human. Dean had just lost the person who meant most to him, who he had practically raised, and Castiel couldn't do a thing about it.

Dean stood, his knees buckling under his grief. He brushed himself off, and looked down, almost as if he was hoping Sam would dig himself up. Castiel saw the expression in Dean's eyes change, remembering the promise he had made to Lisa before the battle occurred. The angel knew he wouldn't be speaking with his hunter for quite some time. He hesitated to flutter away, having the urge to remain with Dean, to rid the pain from his eyes. But Castiel knew in his newly functioning heart that he had to let Dean go, at least for a while. And he was gone.

Castiel needed a break from all the violence and pain he had encountered over the past couple of years. He spent his time visiting some of Earth's beauties that he had grown so fond of. He would sit quietly in the sunshine, with his eyes closed, listening to the trees blowing in the wind, and allowing the warm sun to beat down on his skin. But he came to realize a certain emptiness that existed within him. He had lost his motivation, his reason to feel. He had lost his friends. One of them was trapped in Hell, while the other had begun a new life, with apple pie and a white picket fence. Castiel thought about Dean often. He hoped that his hunter was happy, but he couldn't avoid the urge to stay near, making sure he was safe.

One day the longing become too much for Cas, and he teleported over to Dean and Lisa's house, remaining invisible to his hunter. He leaned against an old oak tree as he watched Dean mow the lawn. He studied his friend, glistening in the rays of sun on the hot summer's afternoon, squinting his eyes under the piercing beams. Cas felt the corner of his lips curl up in a smile as he saw Dean for the first time in what seemed like a ages.

Dean whirled around toward a sound coming from the house. Cas looked to see a woman, so beautiful, with olive skin, and shiny dark hair, walking toward Dean with a icy glass of lemonade in hand. He grabbed Lisa by her waist, revealed under the hem of a tight pink tank top and brought her into a loving kiss. 

"Thought you might be getting thirsty out here," Lisa said, her voice pouring out of her lips like honey. "Don't want you getting heat stroke, now do we?"

Dean smiled, pulling her in for a second peck on the lips. "I'm the luckiest guy on Earth," Dean responded, admiring every inch of her lovely face.

Castiel's smile shriveled as he felt a pain in the center of his gut. Now this feeling was certainly unfamiliar. While he had grown accustomed to happiness, fear, sadness, and anger, this emotion was something new entirely. 

After being separated from Dean Winchester for quite some time, Castiel felt obligated to watch over him, to protect him - and his new family. He remained in the shadows, never revealing himself to his human, never reaching out to him, no matter how much he desired to. He watched as Dean lived the life he had always deserved. He ate dinner at a dining room table, sat on the couch with his arm wrapped firmly around Lisa, stroking her hands with his calloused fingers, and slept in a bed much more forgiving than those found in cheap motels. The angel knew his friend was happy.

After a week, Castiel sat in the arm chair in the corner of Dean and Lisa's bedroom, watching them sleep. Castiel found an immense amount of comfort in Dean's peaceful expression as he dreamed. The angel looked down, thinking he maybe should leave the hunter alone, allow him to live in this fantasy world. As he readied to flutter away, he heard a stirring come from the bed. Dean flinched, his forehead screwing up in frustration, his square jaw clenching, still remaining asleep. He flinched again, this time making a pained groan.

"Sam…. no.. no.. leave my brother… alone.." Dean spoke restlessly in his sleep, concerning Castiel. The angel watched the hurt flourish on Dean's face. His eyes squeezed closed and his arms moved in a feeble attempt to save his brother from whatever threat he was facing in the dream. Cas knew Dean was only suffering from a nightmare, but he needed to fix him. The angel sat on the edge of the bed where both Dean and Lisa lay, unaware of his presence. Castiel looked down to where the hunter's hands lay tangled in the sheets, his knuckles turning white from the strain as he tightened his grip. He softly rested one hand on top of the hunters, stroking the scars that freckled his leathery skin. His second hand reached over to Dean's tensed shoulder. Even in the dark he could make out the pink handprint that still remained. His thumb began rubbing gentle circles into his muscle.

"Dean… it's okay, you're safe. I'm watching over you." whispered Castiel, his thumb keeping a steady rhythm as he tried to sooth the human out of his nightmare. He moved his hand from his shoulder, to the hunter's jaw, continuing the caresses. "I won't leave you," Cas said, barely out loud. Dean's muscles softened, his shoulders and hands relaxed. Another sound came from the hunter's mouth, but this time, it was not his brother's name.

"C-Cas…" Dean mumbled. Castiel's eyes filled with worry, as he feared he had awoken the sleeping human. But he did not open his eyes. "Cas…" Dean said once more, his heavy breaths slowing, and the sides of his mouth pulling a slight smile. Castiel sat like that with his hunter, keeping a steady eye on him, as he drifted into a calm sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

Dean opened his eyes, the image of a eerie field unfolding before him. His vision was hazy, and the noises that accompanied the scenery echoed through his ears. He spun around to see Sam, standing alone in the middle of the field. He smiled, walking toward his brother, stretching out his arms to embrace him in a hug.

"Sammy, there you are!" Dean beamed, reaching out to his younger brother. He kept walking, Sam moving further and further away from him as his pace picked up. He broke into a run, yearning to reach him, putting every ounce of effort he had to get closer. Sam did nothing, not moving, keeping his steady eyes on his older brother. His mouth curled into a wicked smile, his eyes turning the color of coal.

"Sam is gone now," said the voice coldly. The words came from Sam's mouth, but Dean knew it was not his brother. It was Lucifer, filling Sam's vessel, forcing his brother's soul to the darkest depths of his mind. Dean ran harder.

"Leave my brother alone!" he screamed at the fallen angel who stood before him in the form of Sam. Lucifer lifted his hand, forcing Dean to fly backwards, hitting the damp earth with a crunch, yelping in pain from the impact of the ground beneath him. He closed his eyes tightly shut, begging himself to wake up, to move on from this nightmare.

He opened them again, expecting to see the ceiling of his darkened room in the house he shared with Lisa. Instead, he found himself sitting on a park bench. He knew this place, he had been here before. His racing heart settled as he looked around the changed scenery. He felt the presence of someone next to him, a presence that gave him comfort. He turned his head to see Castiel, his blue eyes deepening as their gazes locked. The hunter felt the overwhelming sense of happiness that his friend had returned after their prolonged separation. He felt a release from the pain for the first time in what seemed like ages.

"Cas… Where have you been?" Dean spoke softly, the joy in his heart exemplified in his tone. "I've been wanting to look for you, but the whole thing with Sam, you know, its been hard and-" He said apologetically, but was interrupted by the angel's hand resting upon his.

"It's okay, you're safe. I'm watching over you." the angel said as his smile glimmered to show his perfect white teeth. "I won't leave you," he continued, moving his eyes over Dean's parted lips. Dean's gaze softened with the angel words, but immediately saw the image fade, as he awoke.

* * *

 

He opened his eyes and realized he had never left his home with Lisa, and seeing Cas was just a dream. He peered over to his left, seeing his girlfriend invested in a peaceful slumber. Dean heaved himself up, and swung his legs to the side of his bed, rubbing his face and hair to recover from his shortened sleep. He peered over at the clock on his bedside table. It read 3:28. It was longer than he had slept in a while, but being awake this time came with a certain sense of longing. He stood up, stretched his legs, and made his way to the bathroom.

At this point, Castiel was no longer visible to the hunter, but he stood nearby, watching. Dean shut the bathroom door behind him, switching on the light and stopping in front of the mirror. He looked at himself, pain lingering in his eyes as he grabbed the sides of the sink. He bowed his head, shutting his eyes.

"Cas," Dean whispered. "I know you're busy with your angel business and everything but I-I miss you. Now that Sam is gone, and maybe not coming back, I just need someone familiar. I need you, Cas. So, if you've got your ears on, just know that I want to see you. Come if you can." He finished his prayer with a sigh, taking his hands off the sink and looking at himself once again in the mirror. He stepped away, turning to leave the bathroom with the sinking feeling that Cas had not heard him. But the angel was there, hesitating to reveal himself to his friend.

Dean quietly stepped over to a pile of his clothes, grabbing the navy AC/DC shirt that lay there, pulling it over his bare chest. He tightened the string of his gray sweatpants and walked out the bedroom. He moved to the kitchen, finding a bottle of whiskey sitting on the counter. He leaned against the cabinets, unscrewing the cap and taking a long swig. The liquid burned his throat, but as he swallowed, he heard a fluttering from across the room. He spun toward the familiar sound and saw Castiel, dressed in his usual trench coat. His eyes widened, and his mouth opened, no words escaping from his tongue.

"Hi Dean," Cas said cautiously, taking a careful step toward the hunter. "I'm sorry I've been away for so long-" the angel's apology was cut short by the force of Dean's body as he threw his arms around the angel in a warm embrace. He stepped back, gripping the shoulder's of Cas' trench coat, looking at him in the eye.

"Don't apologize. You're hear now, and that is all that matters." Dean smiled warmly, looking deeply into the angel's shimmery blue eyes which filled with warmth at Dean's touch. The phone rang, interrupting the reunion of the angel and his hunter. Dean gazed for just a second longer before walking towards the phone. He picked it up, pressing his ear against the speaker, wondering who could possibly be calling so late.

"Hello?" said Dean with a slight smile, leftover from seeing his friend once again. Cas stared at Dean with concern framing his eyes.

"Dean?" said the voice on the other end. It was a voice Dean wasn't sure he'd ever hear again. One he was certain had been lost along with the body that it belonged to. It was the voice of his younger brother.

"Sammy? Is that really you?," said Dean, panic lining his words.

"Yes, it's really me. Listen… I woke up in the middle of a field a few hours ago. I'm a Bobby's now. When can you get here?" Sam asked.

"It'll take six hours to drive there. I'm with Cas, we'll leave now." Answered Dean swiftly, hanging up the phone and running to the bedroom to gather some belongings and the keys to his Impala. The combination of reuniting with Castiel and hearing his brother's voice for the first time in over six months filled Dean with more happiness than he could bare. He stumbled out of the house, locking the door behind him, not bothering to wake Lisa or even leave a note. He climbed into the drivers seat, smiling at the content angel sitting next to him, and turned on the ignition. He sped off into the early hours of the morning, his heart brimming with joy.


	3. Chapter 3

Six hours had gone by since Sam called. Cas and Dean had just arrived at Bobby's and now stood in front of the house neither of them had seen in the past six months. Castiel looked over at the hunter, his eyes locked on the front door. Castiel lifted a hand and rested it gently on Dean's shoulder, attempting to comfort him. He offered the angel a small smile, reassuring him that he was fine. They simultaneously stepped forward, venturing to the unknown that lay behind the front door.

Dean clenched his fist and firmly banged on the door three times, slowly setting his hand by his side and sighing nervously. Cas stood back a few feet, knowing the hunter would see his brother and in that moment not care about anything else. The door gradually opened with a creak, exposing the younger Winchester brother, his eyes rimmed with fatigue, but still displaying a smile. Dean let go a raspy gasp, grabbing his brother by the arm and pulling him into his chest, wrapping his arms around him tightly. Cas looked fondly at the love between the two brothers. They had been through so much, and their love still remained intact.

It was in that moment that Cas realized the emptiness that existed within was his deep desire for love. Although he strongly admired the brotherly love of Sam and Dean, he wanted something that surpassed that. Something that transcended time and gave him a reason to feel again.

Dean, Sam, and Cas sat together in Bobby's kitchen, laughing, catching up, and drinking beers. For the first time in six months the three of them felt truly at home. Cas was beaming, partly because of Sam's return, but mostly because of how happy Dean looked. After watching him for a week, he had not seen Dean smile like this with Lisa.

Castiel had been concerned about Sam's return. He wondered who had raised him from Lucifer's cage. He was pleased that Sam had returned in one piece, and the younger Winchester assured the other two that he had no memory from his time in Hell. He suddenly remembered how he had raised Dean from Hell. At that point in time, it was strictly orders, but Castiel would have done it again in a heartbeat. He never for a second regretted his time spent with either Winchester. His eyes bore into Dean's shoulder, the existing pink handprint tucked away behind Dean's tight flannel shirt which stretched over his chiseled shoulders. That print was evidence of the bond between the angel and the hunter that was so- profound.

The three of them fell back into a routine, conducting research and searching for hunts, almost as if the past had never occurred. Cas had business elsewhere, with other angels, with Raphael, but he didn't mind. He was perfectly content existing in this moment with his two favorite humans.

Before so long, Dean and Cas shared some time alone when Sam went off to take a nap. They sat there, side by side on the couch, the silence filled with Dean's soft chuckles.

"What's funny?" Cas questioned, peering at the hunter with a confused expression.

"Everything. You. Sam. If you had told me a few months back that we'd all be together again, I woulda called you crazy." Dean finished his sentence with another warm chuckle.

Castiel watched a smile form on the hunter's face. It was so genuine, so bright. The lines of the sides of his eyes grew, and his cheeks filled with color. Castiel felt his heart beat faster, the pit of his stomach started tingling. The angel was now used to these feelings which occurred every time Dean had smiled over the past couple of weeks. He still wasn't exactly sure how to define these feelings, but he was determined to get to the bottom of them.

"Hey, Dean. I have a question," started Cas.

"Shoot," responded Dean with an airy look in his green eyes.

"I've grown curious about something during my time on Earth. You know human emotions are something I'm still attempting to figure out, but I was wondering if you could explain… love to me." Dean frowned, his mouth twisting to the side, trying to find the right way to respond. The angel kept his eyes on the floor, careful not to catch the hunter's confused look.

"I'm really not sure I'm the right person to ask. I've been riding solo for my whole life, I mean, you know, until Lisa. But I'm just about as experienced in the love department as you are, Cas."

"Do you not love Lisa?" Cas said remembering the time he'd watch them kissing each other's lips, Lisa whispering sweet nothings into Dean's ears as she stroked his hair. _I'm the luckiest guy on Earth_ , he remembered Dean saying, creating the ache in his gut that Castiel had come to know as jealousy. Dean sighed.

"She's great, I mean really really great, and she should have a life with someone more than a hunter. I could never give her the love she deserves. You saw how I charged out the door, leaving her behind, without even a goodbye. My life is hunting. It's a big sacrifice, giving up that world, but I can't go back. It'd only put her in danger." Dean said, a sense of sadness caught deep in his throat.

"Dean Winchester, you are not just a hunter. You've given me a life, and a home here on Earth. You stood by me when I had nowhere else to go. And for that I could never thank you enough," Castiel spoke, leaning into Dean's gaze, holding his eyes steadily with his own. Dean's frown broke into a gentle smile, nodding his head, but never breaking Cas' look. After several silent seconds, his eyes flitted to Castiel's mouth, which was parted slightly, catching a glimpse of his pearly teeth.

Cas' heart fluttered once again, causing him to swallow nervously as goosebumps rose on his skin. The angel understood at this moment. The only solution to his emptiness was the hunter that sat before him. The one with the hazel green eyes, and the square jaw. The one who had welcomed Castiel as he entered unfamiliar territory on Earth. The one who had turned him somewhat human. It was Dean. It was _always_ Dean.

Castiel stood, walking over to where Sam had set his laptop, opening it and typing in the name of a song. He turned up the volume and allowed the sweet acoustic guitar to swell into the otherwise silent room.

_"Love of mine, someday you will die…"_

Dean looked up, listening to the song intently.

"What song is this?" the Hunter asked.

"It's called I Will Follow You into the Dark. I heard it in a coffee shop a while ago and it seemed to bring back some happy memories. It's very beautiful," Castiel said, sounding somewhat embarrassed.

_"If Heaven and Hell decide, that they both are satisfied. Illuminate the no on their vacancy sign. If there's no one beside you when your soul embarks, then I'll follow you into the dark…"_

Dean stood walking toward Cas. The angel felt his body stiffen, looking at the face of the hunter who stood not too far from him now. The lovely music filled his mind and his body yearned to reach out and touch Dean, caress his face, and remind him that Cas would always be with him.

"Doesn't that line kinda go against what you angels believe in? Look at you, Mr. Cynical," Dean laughed, reaching out to ruffle Cas' shiny black hair which hung wispily over his forehead. Dean backed away, allowing Castiel's body to relax, but his heart still beat rapidly as he watched the hunter sit down and take another sip of beer.

Something was happening to Castiel. For an angel who hadn't be able to feel, Dean Winchester had certainly caused some sort of reaction. Castiel was feeling, strongly now.

He was falling in love.


	4. Chapter 4

The very thought of being in love frightened Castiel. It had only been a couple years since he had first begun feeling human emotions, and already he was feeling the strongest of them all. He wasn't used to the fluttering of his heart, or the churning in his stomach every time he looked at Dean, every time Dean smiled at him, or every time Dean walked in the room without a shirt. He knew that he and the hunter shared a connection, but he realized Dean couldn't possibly share the attraction. He did everything he could to stifle the feelings, and drinking alcohol seemed to be rather effective.

Cas, Dean, and Sam sat at the dining room table, the two hunters eating the food Bobby had picked up earlier. Dean stood up and retrieved a bottle of whiskey from the kitchen, bringing three glasses along with him. He poured them all a shot, and lifted his glass.

"To being together once again," he toasted, looking back and forth between his brother and the angel with a smile. The three of them emptied the whiskey down their throats. Dean picked up his burger, taking another bite which left a smudge of ketchup on the side of his lips. His tongue poked at the corner of his mouth, lapping up the sauce. Castiel watched as the hunters tongue traced the top of his bottom lip, looking up to see green eyes watching him as well. Castiel stopped breathing, the emotions flooding back, making his heart pound. He picked up the bottle of whiskey in front of him, and started drinking, attempting to drown the feelings with the alcohol.

Dean and Sam watched the angel finish half of the bottle before sharing a surprised look.

"Damn Cas, didn't realize we were celebrating," Dean chuckled. "Remember to save some for us."

"My apologies," Castiel replied, looking down at the wooden table, running his fingers over the scratches that littered the surface.

Cas drank again and again, slowing his pace this time, almost finishing the remained of the bottle. He wasn't entirely human, so alcohol did not have quite the same effect. Dean laughed when Cas drank, praising him for being what he referred to as a "heavy weight." Before long, Castiel began feeling intoxicated, his vision blurring, and his speech slurring together. He picked up the bottle intending to empty it completely, but his hand was caught by Dean's.

"Alright you, I think that's enough. Looks like you don't know your limits."

Cas nodded, setting the bottle down, his eyes half closing as the alcohol made the room start to turn. Dean pulled himself out of the chair, walking over to the angel. He grabbed his hand, pulling him up and setting a firm arm around his shoulders to help him walk. They stumbled toward the bedroom, bumping into the door frame.

"You should lie down, sleep this off."

"I don't sleep," the angel replied definitively. He stopped walking, turning his head to meet the hunter's eyes. "D-Dean, I wanted to…thank you."

"For what?"

"For allowing me to stay…with you and Sam. I didn't want to be…a nuisance to the both of you, so I appreciate it," spoke Cas sincerely, his words broken as the effects of the whiskey continued.

"It's nothing, Cas. You're family." Dean's eyes softened as he smiled at the angel, his face lingering only inches away. Castiel's eyes slipped to the top of Dean's neck. His skin was tan, blemished only by a vein that ran down to his color bone. The hunter's arm felt strong against Cas' shoulders, flexing as he supported the majority of the angel's body weight. Castiel felt the feelings return, forcing themselves through the wall of drunkenness, sending a shiver down his spine. The angel set his hand between Dean's shoulder blades, grasping firmly at the hunter's t-shirt. In a moment of sheer weakness, Cas threw himself forward, nearly knocking Dean over, and smashed their lips together.

For a second, they stood there, faces pressed against each other as Castiel tasted every inch of deans lips. He felt dizzy, his heart racing like thunder. Before he could slip his tongue into Deans mouth he felt the hunter yank his face away. Dean grasped Castiel's shoulders, pulling him back.

"Cas what the fuck are you doing?!" Dean shouted. All at once Castiel realized the fault in his action. He pried himself from Dean's grip, turning around to hide his face shamefully.

"I-I'm sorry." Castiel said, sobering up as the feeling of emptiness returned to him, this time hurting much more.

"What the fuck, Cas" repeated Dean painfully, ending his sentence with a sigh. He shook his head in confusion and pulled his hand through his hair. He looked at Cas once more, his face turned toward the window at the back of the room. His palms covered his eyes, rubbing as if he was trying to erase what had transpired only seconds before. He clenched his jaw and turned to leave the room, slamming the door behind him.

Cas sat on the bed, setting his forehead to rest on his palms. What had he done? He chastised himself for being weak, for giving into temptation. He had always known Dean didn't feel the same, but deep in his gut he felt an ache. He was certain now that Dean didn't love him. Maybe the connection he felt was purely one-sided. Even if Dean had once felt a bond, Cas had ruined it with his decision to act in the heat of the moment. He had ruined it all for a kiss.

He laid himself back, setting his head on the pillow and wincing as he blamed himself continuously. He replayed the memory in his mind over and over, each time grimacing at the thought of Dean pulling away from him. He squeezed his eyes closed, praying that he could turn back time and stop himself from being so foolish. Every feeling Castiel had ever felt rushed to him, overwhelming his mind. He threw his face into the soft pillow, grasping at the blanket beneath him.

For the first time Castiel felt hatred. For himself. For his feelings towards Dean Winchester.


	5. Chapter 5

Dean woke the next morning, body crumpled into the crevice of the couch. He opened his eyes, blinking, immediately remembering what had occurred the night before. He bit his bottom lip and rolled his eyes. Cas had kissed him. He mulled over the past couple of weeks, trying to figure out what had led Castiel to act in that way. Then he remembered how he had responded. He had shoved Cas off of him, yelling at him, slamming the door. Cas was drunk, Dean reminded himself. He didn't know what he was doing. Dean sat up, punching the seat cushion in frustration, guilt weighing down on his shoulders. He had to apologize to his angel, he had to make things right.

He pulled himself up, still dressed in the clothes that he wore last night. He looked at the room where he had left Cas, the door still closed from when he had slammed it shut. He took a breath, taking steps toward it, determined to make up for the way he had acted. The last thing he ever wanted to do was hurt Cas. He set a shaky hand on the door knob, turning it with caution.

"Cas I-" The door flew open, revealing an empty room. The angel was gone. The only evidence that he had ever been inside the room was the creases in the blanket and pillow, still perfectly molded to the form of Cas' body. Dean looked around wildly, and then moved back into the kitchen, looking through every doorway, hoping to see a trench coat or a set of twinkling blue eyes.

"Cas?" Dean called out, praying for a response, but none came. He leaned his head against the wall of the kitchen, closing his eyes, knowing the angel had left. He remembered what Castiel had said to him in his dream.

_I won't leave you._

The way Dean had acted toward the angel may have ruined everything. Next to Sammy, Cas was the most important person in his life. After he had lost Jo, Ellen, and his father, Castiel was one of the only people Dean had left. He felt disgusted with himself for speaking to Cas like that, a way which had caused him to vanish without a word. Cas had come back to him, even when he thought he had lost Sam, even when he turned his back on all of them. Cas had been there.

"Morning," cheerfully spoke a voice behind him. It was Sam, emerging from his room with his laptop in one hand, a cup of coffee in the other.

"Mornin' Sammy," responded Dean, a hint of sadness still left in his voice. He coughed, "you been doing some research?"

"Yeah, actually, I may have a job for us. Apparently a woman killed her husband last night in Burlington, Iowa. She slit his throat but claims to have no memory of it. A neighbor who saw her leaving the house after the murder occurred said her eyes looked black when she looked at him."

"Well, sounds like a demon to me. You sure you're up for it?" Dean questioned.

"Yeah, it'll be good to get back out there."

* * *

After six hours of driving in the Impala, the boys finally arrived at the Burlington Police Station, dressed in their fed suits, towing their false identifications.

"So, tell me a little about what you found, Officer Brady," said Dean

"Well, Mr. Wilson, he was in the living room, on his back, his eyes wide open. I thought he was just laying there at first and then I saw all the blood. His throat was cut… from ear to ear. It was… horrible." The officer shuddered, recounting the events to the brothers. "Oh, and there was this strange smell, kinda like-"

"Sulfur?"

"How'd you know?"

"Lucky guess."

* * *

The brothers sat in a diner in the center of the town. Dean was digging into a greasy burger accompanied by fries and a soda, while Sam picked at a salad, keeping his attention on his laptop. He looked up at his brother, noticing his mind was elsewhere.

"Dean, are you okay? You've seemed kinda distant lately. I noticed Cas left and I wondered if that's why you were feeling a little down," said Sam to the older hunter.

"What? Yeah, yeah I'm fine," replied Dean, setting his burger down on the plate before him. "Something happened last night Sammy, I don't know what to think."

"Well, what happened?"

"So you know Cas was a little liquored up last night, you know, after downing the whole bottle. And I was helping him to the room to lay down, and he… Sam, he kissed me," Dean explained, waiting for his brother's look of shock. But it didn't come.

Sam looked back toward the computer screen, typing. He raised an eyebrow and chuckled.

"I'm surprised it took him this long."

"Wait, what? You mean you saw this coming?" said Dean with the shocked that lacked from his brother's reaction.

"I mean, c'mon. I see how you two are. Whether you accept it or not, you guys share something. I've got about a 50% success rate in regards to praying to Cas. But whenever you pray, he listens, he shows up. I'm not saying you guys are in love or anything, but you have something. That's not something you can deny."

"Are you telling me I'm the only person in the world who hasn't realized this?"

"Pretty much."

Sam got up with a laugh, taking the keys and heading out to the Impala, leaving his brother in the booth. Dean stared at the nothingness in front of him.

"But, I'm not gay," he said to himself. "I'm not gay," he repeated, trying to believe the words as he spoke them. Dean had never question this before. He loved women, he had always loved women. His mind flickered back to the memory of last night. He remember something specific about the kiss. When Cas had thrown himself on Dean, he didn't pull away immediately. It was only after a second or two that he finally stopped. Dean had lingered. Then, Dean realized something that frightened him. It wasn't the act of kissing Castiel that had caused him anger.

It was because he had enjoyed it.


	6. Chapter 6

The boys arrived back at their beat down motel room, changing out of their uncomfortable FBI suits and returning to their preferred jeans and t-shirt attire. The case had had done a good job of distracting Dean from his confused thoughts. They had questioned the police, the neighbors, and even Mrs. Wilson, who all made the brother's believe it was a demon who committed the murder. It was late in the afternoon, and the brother's agreed to pick things back up in the morning. It was their first hunt in a while, after all, and it had taken it's toll.

Sam sat on his laptop, while Dean opened the fridge to retrieve a beer. Sam thought about Chuck the prophet, about the books he had written, detailing the brother's lives. Although they hated the fact their unfortunate existence had been turned into a frenzy of fanatics and LARPing, Sam and Dean thought of Chuck as a friend, and they hadn't heard from him in a while.

"Hm, that's ironic," Sam said with a laugh, reading something on his computer screen. He scrolled down, giggling as he read more.

"What's so funny?" Dean asked

"Well, I decided to look and see how the Supernatural books are doing. I wondered if Chuck had published any more books since we last saw him."

"And?"

"Well, seems like there's no more books, but…" Sam paused, laughing once more. "I found a new genre of fan fiction."

"Oh god, what's wrong with people." Dean rolled his eyes and went to stand behind his brother, bending to look at the page that Sam had opened. He prayed it wasn't more of that Dean/Sam brother on brother action.

"Destiel fan fiction?" he read out loud. "What the fuck is a Destiel?"

"It's a couple name, you know, like Brangelina? Except its-"

"Wait, Destiel… Desti-" Dean repeated, "Me and Cas?!" Dean exclaimed. "Are you telling me even teenage girls are sensing this so-called connection between me and him?" The older hunter shook his head. Why had it been so obvious to everyone but himself?

"Yeah… seems to be a pretty popular topic. There's thousands of them. Even ones set in alternate universes."

Dean bobbed down closer to the screen to read a comment posted by a girl whose username was "destiellover34"

omfg I will ship destiel forever! This one got me right in the feels

Dean screwed up his face and drew back.

"I don't understand people." He said with a sigh, returning to his side of the table and taking another sip of beer. He looked out the window, the sun glaring his vision. His mind flickered to Cas. Dean missed him, he still wanted to apologize for his actions. He still wanted to fix things. He wanted him here. So much for being distracted by the hunt. What would those teenage fans think?

"Oh, Dean, the games on, wanna come watch with me?"

Dean thought about it. He could sit with his brother on the couch, watching men in helmets shoving each other down a grassy field. But his curiosity took over. "Nah, maybe later. Mind if I borrow your laptop?"

"Sure."

Sam left the room, leaving Dean on his own. He grabbed the lap top, turning it to face him. He scrolled down the page that Sam had left open, looking at the titles of countless fan fiction stories. He clicked on one.

* * *

The game had ended and Sam moved back to where his brother had stayed behind. His laptop sat on the table, closed. His brother had since disappeared and he wondered where he had gone until he heard a stirring come from the bathroom. Sam realized there's only one reason why Dean would borrow his laptop. He open the computer, expecting to see the website for "Busty Asian Beauties" displayed, but he found something else entirely.

The page was still on the fan fiction website Sam had found, but this time, a story was open. Sam huffed in amused surprise. His brother had denied watching football, only to instead read a slash story about himself and his best friend? His best friend who had kissed him a couple of nights earlier. Sam read the title.

_Twist and Shout_

* * *

Sam walked over to the bathroom door where he heard a light sniffling noise, sounding strangely like crying. He chuckled at the idea. Dean Winchester didn't cry!

"Hey, Dean, I think I'm gonna go to the bar. You okay in there?"

Dean sniffed again, coughing to clear his voice. "Yeah- yeah, I-I'm fine. You go ahead."

Dean heard the motel room door close. The air around him filled with silence. For a brief moment he could hear only the steady buzzing of the AC, and the cars driving outside the window. Then he heard someone say his name from outside the bathroom door. His head jerked around, wondering if he had imagined it.

Dean emerged from the bathroom, eyes shrink wrapped in tears. His hands were trembling ever so slightly and his nose was flushed red.

No one was there. He decided his ears were playing tricks on him. But then he heard it once more.

"Dean," spoke a familiar voice, this time coming from by the bed.

The older hunter turned toward the sound, gasping slightly when his eyes met blue. It was Castiel.

"Cas… I'm so sorry," Dean said shakily as he began walking toward his friend. He watched the angels face bow in shame, but the hunter only picked up his pace. He was almost running when he finally reached Cas, the angel's mouth opening to respond.

Before Cas could reply, Dean had forced him against the nearest wall, setting his hands under the angels arms. Castiel stared at the human in confusion and tried to speak once more. He was interrupted again, this time by the hunter's lips.

Dean pressed his lips firmly against the angel's mouth. Castiel was caught by surprise, taking a moment to respond. He sank into the kiss, bring his hand up to rest on the back of Dean's neck. Dean's hand moved from Cas' sides to the top of his tie, pulling him deeper into his chest. The hunter's tongue slipped inside the angels mouth, tracing the inside of his lip, and then running over his tongue. He pressed his hip bones against Castiel, holding him to the wall. He felt something move inside his boxers, but pulled back before he got carried away. He kept his body against the angel, his hands cupped his chin.

"You shouldn't have left," Dean whispered, before kissing him again.

* * *

The hunter and the angel sat on the couch, side by side. Their fingers hovered next to each other's, gently bumping together. Dean leaned his head on the back of the couch, and his eyes melted over Castiel's face. The angel blushed, and bit his lip. This time the human felt no anger, he felt no pain. He just felt an overwhelming feeling of joy as he covered Cas' hand with his own. Everything felt right in the world as the two sat there silently, thinking about their newly discovered feelings for one another.

"Hey, Cas… Do you like Elvis?"

"Who?"

"Nevermind."


	7. Chapter 7

The next day the hunters decided to go after the Demon before it could wreak any more havoc over the town of Burlington. Cas tagged along this time. He didn't want to leave again, and he felt happy close to Dean, closer than ever. Sam read a report of a truck driver who was found with this throat slit after picking up a hitchhiker on a road close to a abandoned barn, just outside of town. They all agreed it was once again the demon's doing.

They all packed into the Impala, and set off. Castiel sat in the back seat, watching Dean's hands clutching around the wheel. Every so often the hunter would look back and offer the angel a warm smile. Cas would beam back, getting nervous and quickly looking down at this hands folded in his lap. Sam noticed these brief exchanges, and would laugh. He would tease them by calling them "love birds," or winking at one of them. Dean wouldn't protest, he wouldn't deny a thing. He would just smirk and return his eyes to the road.

It took a couple of hours to drive out the barn, and by the time they got there the sun was high up in the sky, forming beads of sweat on their skin. They pulled to the front, examining the disheveled building. The wood had turned to a deep gray color, and cracked due to age. The windows were broken, but were boarded up by thin planks of wood. The fence surrounding the barn was broken, and tilted. The earth beneath their feet was muddy from when it had rained the night before.

Castiel shot Dean a concerned look, worried that his hunter was walking into a dangerous situation. Dean responded with a reassuring nod, reminding him he had done this kind of thing countless times. Sam walked ahead, quietly stepping through the damp soil. Dean and Cas lingered steps behind. Dean was confident, he had Ruby's knife in his hand, and he was itching for a fight. It had been so long.

"Be careful." Castiel said with a whisper.

"It'll be okay."

Dean reached out and grasped Castiel's hand, pulling his fingers up to his mouth, and brushing his lips over his knuckles.

The trio crept around to the back door. They opened it slowly but it nevertheless called out with a creak, alerting whoever was inside that they had company. The barn was dark, lit only by the sun that shone through the gaps in the broken windows, and holes in the roof. After a moment of quiet, Sam was thrown by a black eyed demon, possessing a young blonde woman. Dean ran up behind her, thrusting the knife into her side as she glowed, and then fell lifelessly to the ground.

Two demons emerged from a shadowy corner, a middle aged man and woman. Husband and wife, Cas assumed. A third entered from the front door of the barn, an athletic young man. One of the demons launched himself, at Dean, pinning his arm to the wall, forcing him to drop the knife. As the woman demon ran at Sam, he took a flask of holy water out of his pocket and covered her in it. She flinched back in pain, her face sizzling as she screamed in agony. Castiel placed his palm on the third, causing his eyes to light up, and then fizzle out. He froze and he watched Dean struggle under the weight of the demon.

His eyes filled with panic as the demon locked his soulless eyes on Cas, and twisted his thin mouth into a wicked grin. He pressed his free hand against Dean's rib cage, and pressed down. The angel heard a crack, and Dean writhed in pain.

"Dean!" Cas called out, attempting to save his human before he was knocked back by the other demon who had recovered from the holy water. He smited her as well, while Sam moved toward the demon who was holding his brother. He threw the remainder of the Holy Water on the demon's bare shoulders and picked up the knife to stab his stomach while he screamed.

Dean fell to the floor in a crumpled mess, breathing heavily. Cas rushed over to him, holding his head in his hands, and studied every inch of his face. His eyes looked sleepy, suffering from the broken ribs. He managed to pull his lips in an uneven smirk as the angel's face hovered inches away from his own.

"Don't sweat it Cas, I'm fine." He threw his arm around the angel's shoulders, heaved himself up, and began stumbling to the car.

Sam drove on the way home, allowing Dean and Castiel to sit in the back. He wanted to heal Dean and rescue him from his pain but killing of the demons had temporarily drained him.

The angel cooed in Dean's ear, holding his hand firmly, allowing the hunter to rest his head open his shoulder. Dean was in pain, but being this close to Cas was something he couldn't help but smile about. He took full advantage of the lack of space available to them in the back of the Impala. He molded into Cas' side, and glossed his lips over the angel's chin.

* * *

 

They arrived back at the motel and inside noticed how dirty the fight in the barn had left all of them. Sam left to take a shower, leaving Dean and Cas alone. Dean laughed and wiped away a smudge of dirt underneath Castiel's eye. The dark brown was a beautiful contrast against his pale skin and blue eyes. He looked down at this clothes, and then his own, noticing they had been covered in the mud that was the floor of the barn.

"C'mon, let's get out of these clothes," Dean whispered, taking him by the hand and leading him to the bedroom.

Dean crossed his arms to pull his shirt off, but winced in pain at the pressure on his ribs.

"Allow me," said Cas softly, moving his hands under Dean's shirt, gently caressing his hipbones with his thumbs. He pulled the shirt up and over Dean's head, feeling the warmth radiating from his bare skin. He studied every line of his chest, his collar bones, and the vein in his neck that had once caused him to act irrationally. His eyes wondered down stopping at the deep blue bruise that had formed over Dean's rib. His hand touched it softly, and the bruised faded away as he healed the hunter. His eyes continued, moving down and finally reaching the V that formed at the top of Dean's jeans.

He looked up again, catching the eyes of the hunter. They were full of hunger and desire. Dean took a deep shaky breath and bit his lip. He slowly peeled the dirty trench coat off the angel's shoulders and let it fall to the ground. Next he worked on the tie, hurrying to pull it from around Castiel's neck and moved on to the buttons of his shirt. Soon the two stood inches apart, shirtless and wanting. Dean grabbed Cas by the top of his pants and yanked him in, passionately kissing him as he unbuttoned the pants and pulled down the zipper. The angel mirrored his actions, and pulled Dean back. He felt the back of his needs hit the side of the bed as the two of them fell on the mattress.

Dean straddled his friend, pinning his arms back with his strong hands. He dove into Cas' neck, biting and kissing, while the angel's eyes widened and he let out a deep moan. The raspy sound that had emerged from the angel's voice sent blood pumping through Dean, forcing his erection to stretch out his boxers. Dean starting grinding his hips against Cas', feeling as his cock hardened against his own. He reached down and pulled off the angel's boxers, and then his own, sending them both flying over the side of the bed.

He reached down, wrapping his leathery hand around the angel's shaft, feeling it throb under his palm. He started moving it up and down, slowly as the angel threw his head back in ecstasy. He studied Cas' face as his mouth hung open in pleasure, occasionally letting out deep moans. The angel, with his eyes closed, reached out an grabbed the hunter's dick, rubbing as well. The rhythm was uneven and his grasp tightened as he approached his climax.

"Mmm, Dean…" Cas moaned beneath Dean's body.

Seeing Cas writhe under him as he made the angel cum sent Dean over the edge. He chummed shortly after, sending thick white globs onto Cas's stomach.

He rolled off of Cas, picking up a t-shirt to wipe themselves off. He looked over at the angel who was coming down from his orgasm induced high. He blinked at the ceiling, his mouth still parted, moans still echoing through his lips. Dean tangled his leg around his angel's, pulling his chin toward him for a passionate kiss. They laid there for a while, the silence surrounding them. Cas leaned his head on Dean's shoulder and sighed.

"Dean," he whispered.

"Yeah, Cas?" the hunter responded warmly.

"I love you."

The hunter rolled over on his stomach, hanging his face over Castiel's. He stroked his cheekbone with his thumb and kissed him once more.

"I love you too," he said softly in his ear. He said it so effortlessly, and for the first time, there was no question in his words.

Castiel was in love for the first time. What he didn't realize as he laid with his hunter, was that this was the first time for Dean as well.


	8. Chapter 8

Dean awoke the next morning. His mind was still playing the scene of him and Cas together the night before, like a movie on repeat. He wondered if it had been nothing more than a dream. He was awake, but his eyes were still closed, and his mind lagged behind. As he came to, he felt his temple resting upon something soft, but it wasn't the pillow. As he grew more aware of his surroundings, he heard a deep thudding by his ear, and gentle fingers running through the sandy brown hair on the back of his head. The surface he was laying on moved slightly beneath him. He looked up sleepily and smiled when he was Castiel's tender eyes softening on his face. His silky black hair was piled on top of his head in messy wisps.

"Mornin' baby," Dean spoke, his voice like sandpaper. He slid up Cas' warm chest and pulled his neck close to his mouth while he parted his chapped lips. He blew warm breaths on the angel's tongue, and pressed their lips together. Cas smiled into the kiss and titled the hunter's chin up, wrapping his free hand around the Dean's naked waist.

"I'm sorry if I woke you," Cas whispered between loving pecks. "You look so very peaceful while you sleep."

Dean had always been annoyed when Cas watched him sleep, even found it creepy. But as he grew to understand the angel, he knew it was a caring gesture.

Cas didn't want to move. He wanted to lie with his hunter in a tangled mess beneath the sheets. The sun shone through a crack in the blinds, and bounced off Dean's exposed shoulder. He watched the dust swirl in the space around him, and started stroking the freckles along Dean's arm. He had lived most of his life in heaven, but it had never even come close to this.

"Dean, did you really mean what you said last night?" Cas asked cautiously. He wasn't sure whether Dean's admission had been a lie induced by a sensual high.

"What, that I-"

"That you love me." Castiel cut him off.

"Cas, you know I've never been one to discuss my feelings. I've avoided the subject constantly, with everyone. But I meant what I said. I've never been so sure about anything. It took me a while to realize it, but I love you," he said lifting his head to look the angel sternly in the eye.

But-but what you said about Lisa before…" he trailed off.

"You're different." Dean's voice loudened, and his face was serious.

Dean retrieved his iPod from the bedside table, and scrolled through his library, searching for a song. He smiled when he found the one he wanted, and clicked play. The music filled the quiet of the room. It was the song Castiel had showed him, "I Will Follow You into the Dark."

"You like this song?" Cas asked, smiling as Dean pressed his lips together and hummed along to the tune.

"Yeah," he laughed, "You know, it's no Zeppelin, but when you were gone, I listened to it a lot, and it made me think of you."

The very idea of Dean thinking of him when he was away made Cas' cheeks turn the color of roses. He rolled on top of the hunter, tucking his arm under his neck. The angel pressed his dry lips against Dean's chin, their naked bodies moving together. Castiel's other hand traced down Dean's side, searching for the hardness that dug into his stomach, but was interrupted by a knock on the door.

"Alright you two, enough morning sex. I'm ready to ditch this town," chuckled Sam from the other side of the door.

Cas rolled off, and started to blush. He realized the two had been moaning while their passions grew, not quietly enough to stop it from traveling to the other side of the motel room.

"Dammit Sammy," Dean groaned. "We were just getting to the good part," he said with a smile, and dove in for a last kiss. Cas was surprised at Dean's reaction. Sam knew what was going on, but then again, it was their unconditional love that the angel had always admired so much.

* * *

They were ready to set off and return to Bobby's. Their first hunt after the hiatus had been a success, minus the injuries. In more ways than one, Dean thought as he grinned at his angel.

As they grabbed their duffle bags to head out the door, Cas stopped in his tracks. He frowned, his blue eyes filling with concern. He stared at the space in front of him, listening to only something he could hear.

The brothers watched Cas with concern as his eyes shifted in their sockets.

"Dean…" the angel stated as he snapped out of his trance. "I have to leave."

"What? Why? What's going on Cas?" the hunter asked rapidly, fear in his voice at the thought of being separated from his angel.

"Something's happening in Heaven. It's… Raphael. He's starting a rebellion, to kill all the rebels, and rule Heaven himself. I've been absent lately. This is my fault, and I have to stop him."

"Raphael? Wait, kill the rebels? Aren't you a rebel?" Dean asked, his voice raising in volume.

"Yes."

"Well that settles it. We'll help you. Right Sammy?"

"Of course we will!" Sam chimed in, flickering his eyes between the angel and his brother.

"I refuse to put either of you in that kind of danger. I have to do this alone." the angel protested stubbornly

"Shut up, Cas. We're coming with you." Dean snapped. "We're stronger together and you know that. I will not leave you." Dean eyes squinted, his voice did not waiver. He wasn't taking no for an answer.

The angel finally sighed. What was the point? He wouldn't win this argument. "Fine. But we must leave now. Raphael is heading to Chicago. We'll try to intersect him there."

The brother's nodded and hurried out the door with their bags in tow, grabbing the keys to the Impala from the coffee table. As Dean neared the door, he turned around, letting Sam walk ahead. He held up his palm and rested it just below Castiel's collar bone. His green eyes bore deeply into Cas' blue, and he clenched his jaw before speaking.

"Don't you ever try to get me to abandon you again, alright? I love you, Cas. And I will follow you. Wherever."

His voice sounded almost angry, but his words were dripping with so much sincerity and love that it forced Cas' stomach to churn. He nodded, making promises he could never keep. His main priority was protecting Dean, over heaven, over other angel's, over God's will. He would keep him safe until his last breath. He promised that to himself silently, knowing it was a vow he would keep.

The angel leaned in and softly pecked the hunter on the lips, before reaching down to intertwine their fingers. Cas feared what was waiting for them out on the road, what may happen on their journey. But as he looked over at the hunter next to him, knowing he held his heart, Castiel felt alive.

And this beautiful human would follow him, no matter where fate took them.


	9. Chapter 9

The trio sat in the Impala, staring out the window at the trees and gray road blurring past them. They had been driving for four hours and were just entering Chicago. Dean was thankful their journey was coming to an end because his arms ached from gripping the wheel, and because he missed Cas' touch while he sat in the back seat. The only contact they had were the loving glances Dean would send him in the rear-view mirror. Sometimes his angel would respond with a gentle blush and a shy smile, but at other points he seemed distracted by the purpose of finding Raphael.

"You hearing anything from upstairs, Cas?" Dean questioned as Castiel's eyes stared down at his toes.

"No. Everything is quiet. I'm afraid something terrible is happening in Chicago." he spoke, a solemn expression covering his face, but his eyes remained aimed at the floor.

"Well, don't worry. We're here now. We're gonna stop these sons o' bitches." Dean promised, attempting to comfort Cas, as he pulled a right turn into the parking lot of the motel they would be staying at.

They unloaded their duffle bags from the trunk, and pulled them over their shoulder, looking up at the neon sign that stood high about the front door.

The Moonshine Inn

"Classy," chuckled Dean, throwing his free arm around the neck of Castiel, squeezing his shoulder slightly in order to pull him out of his distant trance. The three of them stepped through the door and greeted the receptionist with a smile. She was a plump middle-aged woman with short blonde hair, and green eye shadow that reached up to her eyebrows.

"Hi. We'd like a room please, with three- I mean, two beds." Sam said, extending his arm with one of his fake credit cards pressed between his fingers. The receptionist flickered her eyes over the three of them individually, realizing that Sam had asked for only two beds when there were three men before her.

"Oh…oh! Yes of course. And you two are a lovely couple, might I add." She exclaimed cheerfully, nodding her head at Dean & Cas who stood slightly too close to hide their intimacy. Dean rolled his eyes, but kept his body next to the angel. She took the credit card from Sam with two long purple finger nails.

"Well, thank you Mr. Morrison! Please enjoy your stay here at the Moonshine Inn." She smiled wide, exposing her large white teeth and pink gums, handing a room key to the hunter.

Sam smiled politely before turning his head to a TV screen that played above her head. A local news channel was on and the headline read:

Local Murders Have Police at a Standstill

"What's going on there?" Dean asked, noticing his brother had been watching curiously.

"Oh, it's just awful! Two young girls showed up dead earlier today. Those poor sweethearts. No one even knows who's to blame. The only lead the police have is witnesses saying they saw a bright light coming from the building they were killed in."

At these words, the brothers simultaneously turned and looked at Cas who was staring at the screen, frowning. It showed the pictures of two women who seemed to be in their early twenties. His mouth dropped ever so slightly and let out a tiny whimper. The girls were two angels Cas had known, two of Cas' friends. He looked down, snatched the key from Sam's hand, and started walking down the hallway in search of their room. Dean hurried after him, finally catching up with him in front of the room.

"Cas…" he said, worry showing on his face. "I know it's hard, but that's why we're here. We're gonna put an end to this! First thing in the morning, we'll-we'll stop Raphael." He said as he ran his fingers over Castiel's temple.

"I need a drink," was all Castiel replied as he wiggled the key inside the lock and entered the room.

* * *

Dean, Sam, and Castiel sat side by side at a bar a block away from the motel. It was dimly lit, and smelled like a mixture of cigarette smoke, whiskey, and grease. The bar was full of men in leather jackets and classic rock blared over the speakers. Dean felt right at home.

Castiel was still distant, his eyes blank as Dean rubbed his back and filled his ear with comforting words.

"Sam and I are here to help, right Sammy?" Dean said finally, looking up at his brother on the other side of the angel. His eyes were set toward the door, his jaw slack as he ran his tongue over his upper lip.

"Damn," was all he could let out as Dean turned to find what he had been staring at.

A blonde woman stood by the front door, leaning against a pool table. She was tall and voluptuous, dressed in a short, tight, low-cut black dress and five inch heels. Her legs were toned and glowed in the poor lighting of the bar. Her dark red lips sipped at the beer in her hand. She was looking around the room, bobbing her head slightly to the music. Then, her eyes locked on them, and with one elegant step she starting moved forward.

"Oh..oh my god, she's coming over here," Sam choked, his voice cracking as he watched her lustful strides.

"Well hello there…" she said finally reaching them, her ruby lips puckering after every word. But she was not addressing Sam. She was speaking to Dean instead. Sam's line pressed together in a firm line. It was always his brother that got the girls.

"Uh, hi." Dean said plainly, keeping his attention on the grieving angel.

"You must not be from around here, not very often I see attractive men in this bar." She smiled sinfully, setting her hand on the bar close to Dean. Cas' head popped up at the woman's words, bunching his fists at his sides.

"Um, no, just visiting for a few days." Dean stated, taking another sip of scotch. Castiel glared at the woman, but she didn't notice as she leaned closer to the hunter.

"Figures. But hey, as long as your in town, might as well have some fun, huh?" She bit her lip and set a gentle hand on Dean's thigh. The touch made Dean flinch, and he managed to spill his scotch down the front of his shirt. He stood up quickly, and took a step back, causing the woman to frown.

"Fuck, uh, sorry. I have to uh, go clean off." He said nervously, turning and running off to the bathroom. Cas stood there, seeing red as the woman bent her head to check out Dean's ass while he scampered away. Sam slid into Dean's chair and introduced himself to the girl, who seemed uninterested in the younger brother. Cas lifted his glass, finishing his whiskey in one shot, and in fury turned to the bathroom where Dean had run off too.

The intro to "Shook Me All Night Long," by AC/DC filled the room as he began to march forward. When he reached the bathroom, he threw the door open, finding Dean at the sink, scrubbing his shirt with a wet paper towel. Dean looked up in surprise as the door hit the wall with a thunderous boom.

"Cas?" was all the human could mutter before he was grabbed by the collar and forced back into a stall. His back hit the wall with a thud, and Cas hovered an inch away from his face, his eyes furious.

"You. Are. Mine." Cas growled, before smashing his lips on Dean's.

The hunter's eyes widened in shock as Cas pinned him to the wall, and pulled on his hair, forcing him deeper into the kiss. Castiel pushed Dean's head to the side and sucked hungrily at his neck. He bit down, and felt Dean moan wildly in pleasure, his pants tightening around his erection. Dean's sounds were accompanied by the song, still playing inside the bathroom.

Dean's dick hardened at the thought of his angel being protective over him, and Cas pressed down firmly, his hip bones grinding as his passions went wild. The angel set his strong hands around the collar of Dean's shirt, and pulled it open exposing his bare chest. Castiel ripped the shirt from Dean's shoulders and threw it to the floor, and then dug his nails angrily into the human's muscular back.

"Oh my god… Cas…" Dean mumbled as Castiel licked all the way up his neck, and nibbled on his ear. His hands slid down his back and landed on Dean's ass, using his grip to pull their pelvis harder together.

"Your ass is mine." The angel commanded, stepping back momentarily to yank his trench coat off, and pull his tie from around his neck. His eyes stayed steady on Dean's, full of angry lust.

"Yes. yes it is." Dean agreed, stunned at his own desire.

As the song's guitar solo began, he launched himself forward once again, causing the stall wall to wobble under his force. He bit Dean's bottom lip, and then trailed his mouth down to Dean's neck, sucking and leaving red marks along his square jaw.

His mouth continued down Dean's body, reaching his collar bone, and then licking down his chest, leaving sloppy kisses as he went lower. The angel suddenly dropped to his knees, running his tongue over the defined V just above Dean's crotch. He titled his head back, staring Dean in the eye as he undid his belt and pulled down the zipper. Dean's lips quivered in anticipation as Cas, eyes still piercing, pulled the hunter's pants down to his ankles, uncovering his throbbing hard-on.

Castiel's eyes stayed transfixed on Dean's as he put a firm hand around the base of Dean's dick, and began tonguing at the head. Dean tossed his head back against the wall and let out on deep moan, and Cas' lips wrapped around his erection. He swallowed a scream when he felt himself filling Cas' mouth. He looked down at the angel, and shut his eyes immediately. The image of Cas staring at him while he gave him head was almost too much for the hunter to handle. Castiel brought a hand up between Dean's thighs and cupped his balls, rubbing them with a rhythm that matched his mouth. Dean reached his climax, and grabbed the back of Cas' head, calling his name wildly as he lost all sense of his surroundings.

The angel swallowed, and rose from his knees, keeping his steady gaze. He wiped the corner of his mouth off with his thumb, and then walked out the stall, leaving Dean still pressed against the wall, beads of sweat sticking on his skin, eyes wide.

"What the fuck just happened?" Dean said aloud as Cas left the bathroom completely. It took a moment to gather his thoughts, and then hurriedly pulled his pants back up to his waist and fastened the belt. He grabbed his shirt on the way out, buttoning it back up quickly to catch up with the angel.

Cas was sitting at the bar, sipping at a bottle of beer. Sammy sat in a booth alone after his unsuccessful wooing attempt. The girl still hovered by Dean's chair, and smirked when she saw him returning. Before he could reach his seat, Castiel grabbed him by the neck, and pulled him into a sensual kiss, marking his territory. The angel pulled away, turned to face the girl, and gave her an insincere smile. She glared and stomped away, leaving them alone to peck softly at each other.

"Do you wanna explain to me what just happened?" Dean asked, smiling at the angel's touch.

"I'm not sure. I guess she just looked at you in a certain way, and my primal instincts took over." Cas replied, rubbing his hand up and down Dean's thigh.

"Didn't know you were the jealous type Cas." He chuckled. "But you've got nothing to worry about. I've only got eyes for you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: This is probably my favorite chapter so far. I highly suggest reading the bathroom stall scene again while listening to "Shook Me All Night Long" by AC/DC. I wrote that part while listening to it, and if Dean and Cas ever had angry sex in the show, I imagine it would be accompanied by that song perfectly.


	10. Chapter 10

By the ending of the evening, Dean and Sam were drunk. Castiel laughed as he compared the two brothers while they were under the influence. Sam was playing the role of the sad drunk, as he whined about being hungry and tired, and swung at the air like a small child having a tantrum.

"Dean always gets the girls. Always. I just don't why they d-don't like me… I'm so much taller!" Sam exclaimed, drifting off balance as he paced around the motel, hiccuping occasionally.

On the other hand, Dean was the touchy drunk, leaving sloppy kisses on Cas' cheek and attempting to grab at his crotch while the angel helped him over to the bed. Castiel would just wipe off his cheek and swat the wondering hand away, chucking at the thought of baby sitting the two of them. He carefully pulled Dean's shirt off, and laid him on the bed, sitting next to him momentarily to caress his cheek while he drifted away.

"Hey…hey Cas." Dean mumbled, barely opening his eyes. He waved his arm around wildly before leaving it at rest on the angel's close hand. "I….I am so in love with you. Y-you know that… right?" His eyes fluttered, and his eyebrows rose, attempting to convey the seriousness behind his drunken words.

The angel merely bobbed his head down and placed a soft kiss on the hunter's forehead, and shushed him.

"I'm in love with you too, Dean." He smiled, and rose to shut off the light. The slow and heavy rising of Dean's chest told Cas that the hunter was asleep. A small part of him longed to undress himself and crawl in next to Dean, curling into the curve of his waist, but he was far too distracted to reward himself with spooning. He instead sat in the other room at the kitchen table and thought about the task at hand while the human's slept.

* * *

The sun peeked over the horizon, and entered the apartment, reminding Cas the brother's would be waking soon. He had been sitting there all night, mulling over tactics to stop Raphael, but most importantly, how to keep his human's safe. He had tried for hours to communicate with his allies in Heaven, but each time was met with an eerie silence. His encounter with Dean in the bathroom at the bar, while pleasant, had only been a momentary distraction from his troubled thoughts regarding the death of those angles. Not only had Cas known them, but they had been loyal to him, they had followed him. For hours upon hours Castiel had been sitting in the dark and devouring his own mind with guilt.

Suddenly, an overwhelming sense of discomfort took the angel over, causing him to turn to Dean's bedroom door. He pictured his human sleeping peacefully, but unknowingly surrounded by danger. He ran forward throwing himself into the room, only to be met with the ominous image of two tall men standing over Dean while he obliviously slept.

"Castiel…" spoke one of the men softly, without turning around. "I will never come to understand your decision. You disobeyed Heaven, for this?" Both of the men were angels, followers of Raphael. "Human's are so weak."

Cas stared at him, frozen in place. His fists were clenched at his sides, and his body trembled slightly as the two men stood between him and Dean. Never before had he felt so much fear, fear that he would fail at protecting the person he loved most. He peered past the two men, and saw Dean's strong arms wrapped around the pillow next to him, his mouth curled up in a subtle smile. In that moment, all Cas could think was how envious he was of that pillow, longing to be curled up next to him human.

He snapped back into reality, taking a cautious step toward the backs of the two angels, watching them carefully at the risk of them hurting Dean.

"D-don't you dare touch him." Castiel said sternly, causing the angel who spoke to turn around with frown of confusion across his face. His eyes were empty, and his body was rigid. He said nothing, and merely outstretched a thin finger in the direction of the sleeping hunter.

Castiel lept forward, sinking his angel blade into the back of the other intruding angel. He had no time to let out a scream as white light glowed from his eye sockets, and then disappeared. "I warned you." Castiel said, anger evident in his tone.

The other angel let out a cold chuckle, and placed his hand down by his side once again. "What have you become, brother. You have given up your family, and your home, for this?" he questioned gesturing toward Dean. "These humans, are pathetic. Leave them, and return to us. Follow Raphael." The angel spoke in a tone akin to a hypnotist, but Castiel knew he never had this choice. He never had the choice of turning his back on Dean.

Cas looked down at the sleeping human, not yet waken due to his hangover induced safety blanket. He couldn't help but smile as he kept track of each heavy breath of the hunter. His expression transitioned from adoration, to a bitter sternness as he met the eyes of the other angel. "I will never leave him," he said definitively.

"Very well," the angel spoke, his eyes sans emotion. "We will be coming for you." He looked toward Dean, and then back at Castiel. He acknowledged that their relationship had overstepped the bounds of normalcy. "Raphael will be very interested to here about this." He snapped his fingers, and he vanished.

Castiel immediately ran to the bed, crawling on top of Dean and covering his jaw and cheeks with kisses until he awoke in a sleepy haze.

"Cas?" he let out a warm chuckle as he grabbed the face of the angel and mirrored his kisses. "What are you doing?" he asked with a genuine smile, and a flush in his cheeks.

"I love you so much Dean. I promise to not let anything hurt you. Okay? I promise." Castiel spoke with a hint of desperation. His kisses became slower and softer, but his hand still firmly grasped at Dean's shoulder.

Dean's grasped Cas' chin to cease the kisses and his eyes turned solemn. "You don't need to promise me anything."

"I know, but- i just- I love you." Castiel's voice cracked, and he bent down to leave a loving kiss on the hunter's chapped lips.

"I love you too, babe. Now get off me, I need some coffee."

Cas rolled off the bed with a grumble, watched the hunter pull on a shirt, and reached out to grab his hand. He decided not to tell Dean of the intrusion, not wanting to worry him out of his current carefree attitude. The two of them walked toward the kitchen together, laughing at Sammy who laid face down on the floor, a pool of spit forming around his open mouth. Cas pulled himself up to sit on the counter, and listened to Dean whistle a joyful tune as he poured himself a cup of coffee. Dean wedged himself between the legs of the angel, and cupped his jaw in order to press their lips together. He stared up into the shiny blue eyes of his angel as he whispered. "I am the luckiest guy on Earth."

Castiel flinched at the familiarity of the words, but recognized the truth with which he spoke, something that lacked when he had spoken them to someone else. The angel bushed red and draped his arms around the hunter, pulling him closer, and wrapping his legs around his waist.

Before the passion could rise, the sound of their kisses was met with a hurried knock on the door. Dean pulled his lips away with a annoyed groan.

Hey Sammy, can you get that?" Dean called toward his brother, but was answered with merely a drunken snore.

"Goddammit. Always fucking interrupted." He said, rolling his eyes, and pecked his lips against Cas' nose.

He walked toward the door, scratching the back of his head. He pulled on the handle irritatedly.

"It's seven o'clock, assho-" Dean exclaimed, stopping when he caught sight of who stood there. He froze, and his eyes widened, blinking to make positive he wasn't dreaming.

Cas still sat on the counter, but noticed the sudden change in Dean's demeanor. He swung his legs off curiously, and shifted his body to get a look of who stood facing Dean on the other side of the doorframe.

There he found a woman with dark hair, and olive skin. Her face was covered with a look of relief as she set her eyes on the hunter.

It was Lisa.


	11. Chapter 11

Lisa stood there, her arms by her side, breathing slightly irregularly as she caught sight of the hunter for the first time in weeks. She froze, and then let her smile unravel into a nervous smile, relieved that he was still alive.

"Dean…" she said, laughing slightly at the end of the word as she stepped forward and wrapped her arms around his neck. He hesitated to react, still shocked at her unexpected appearance. After a moment he reciprocated the embrace, and rested his arms around her waist.

He coughed, waking himself from the state of surprise. "Lisa… What are you doing here?" he asked, unwrapping his arms and taking a step back to look at her.

"When you left, I thought something had gone terribly wrong. I was gonna let you take a few days to figure whatever it was out, but then I didn't hear from you… Dean, I thought you were dead." Her voice cracked at these words and droplets of tears welled up on her bottom eye lids. She reached out and hooked her small fingers around his, smiling sadly as he looked at the floor.

"I called Bobby, and he said you went to Chicago. I've been looking everywhere, I-I had to make sure you were okay."

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you I was leaving, I just-" he started, but Lisa caught sight of Sam as he woke up disgruntled from his position on the floor. Her eyes widened, and she gasped. Then her eyes softened as she understood the reason for Dean's absence. Sam stood, and clutched at his abdomen, running into the bathroom to deal with his hangover nausea.

"Well, come on in, Lisa."

Dean opened the door entirely, stepping to the side, allowing Lisa to walk past. He watched her as her eyes darted around the disheveled motel room, littered with articles of clothing, food wrappers, and empty beer cans.Then her eyes looked across to the kitchen, where she saw a man in a trench coat, with blue eyes.

"Oh… Hi, I'm Lisa. I don't believe we've met." Lisa greeted Cas with a smile, holding out her gentle hand to him. He watched her intently, and silently shook her hand. He didn't reply and simply gave Dean a saddened look, then retreated into the bedroom. Lisa looked disheartened due to the angel's cold greeting, but flicked her dark hair over her shoulder and turned to Dean.

Dean's eyes were focused on the door the angel had just walked through, laced with a pleading concern. The brush of Lisa's finger tips against his check pulled his attention back to her.

"It's so good to see that you're okay, Dean."

He placed his hand on his own cheek, covering her fingers. He smiled nervously, and then slid her fingers off, dropping them back to her side, and taking a step back. She looked uncomfortable at the distance, frowning at the reaction she hadn't expected upon her arrival.

"Look, Lisa. We need to talk."

* * *

Castiel sat on the unmade bed, his legs slung over the side, and his forehead resting on his palms. He listened to the muffled sound of Dean's voice as he spoke to Lisa. The angels eyes tightened in pain, realizing that his time with Dean was over. He suspected their fling existed primarily because Dean had been lonely, and drunk for the better part of the last few weeks, and because Castiel was convenient.

He pictured Dean smothering him with loving kisses, and imagined their naked bodies pressed against one another. He savored each memory delicately, praying they could at least return to a platonic friendship.

He rubbed his eyes, but withdrew his hands as he felt something cold and wet hit his skin. He looked down to see a small puddle of water, slipping down the lines in his hands, and continuing down the veins on his wrist. He ran a smooth finger under his eye, and felt the liquid caught in his eyelashes. Cas had never cried before.

Rather than having to face the sheer awkwardness of Dean ending their brief romance, Cas decided to leave before the the conversation was over. He would return when the brother's needed him, but would refuse to acknowledge what had transpired between him and Dean.

Cas slowly walked over to the chair where he had neatly laid his tan trench coat, and draped it over his arm. He set a shaky hand on the door and sighed deeply.

"Goodbye, Dean. I love you." he whispered, and felt a vibration through the wood as the front door of the motel room slammed closed.

He turned away solemnly, and was just about to vanish before a figure burst through the door and tackled him to the bed.

"You going somewhere?" Dean chuckled, his smile hovering inches away from Cas' confused brow.

"But-but… Lisa…" Cas stuttered, radiating in the warmth of Dean's musk as his body pressed down.

Dean scoffed, and ran his finger tips behind the top of Castiel's ear. "How many damn times do I have to tell you? I love you, Cas. It's just you and me. It's always been you. This is real, and I'm not going anywhere."

Cas felt his emotions overwhelm him at the hunter's words. His mouth stretched into a smile so warm and genuine that it gave the angel an expression that was nothing less than human. Castiel rolled his body over, pinning Dean on his back under the weight.

He traced his lips upon the hunter's and then moved his mouth just over Dean's ear. A hot breath escaped his mouth that sent a chill up the human's spine.

"I will love you until the end of time," was all he whispered before diving his lips back upon the hunter's mouth.

They laid there, in this seemingly perfect moment, relishing in unmistakable love. For even just these few minutes, they would not care about the future's grim possibilities, because they had each other.

* * *

Castiel looked around. He was standing in the center of a dim room without windows, facing a single black door. The only source of light in the room was a bulb that hung from a wire above, emitting a eerie orange glow as it flickered. The walls and floors were a light gray concrete.

A gust of wind tousled his hair, and freckled his skin with goosebumps. A chilling laugh echoed through his ears, and as he blinked, an angel appeared before him. It was Raphael.

The laugh came again, this time causing Castiel to grind his teeth together. He urged to leap forward and attack Raphael, but something was paralyzing his body, forcing him to remain in place.

"Castiel… It's been a while brother." the other angel spoke with an empty voice.

"Let me go." Cas demanded angrily.

Raphael laughed a third time, allowing Cas' frozen body to tremble in fury.

"In good time, Castiel. I brought you here because I learned something fascinating from my soldier, who came to visit you."

"You know, I killed the other." Cas said, attempting to strike fear in the heart of his opposer.

"Yes, I know. And soon you will pay for that." Raphael said, his eyes still lacking any emotion. "But what I learned is that you have grown a certain fondness for a human, named Dean Winchester."

The sound of Raphael speaking the human's name with so much disgust caused Cas' body to buck against the paralysis, but to no success. He curled his lip in anger.

"You dare touch him." Cas muttered hatefully.

Raphael's eyes widened at the vehement behind the angel's words. "So it is true." He took a step to the left, steadily pacing around Castiel's position in the room.

"You see, Castiel, I may not, at this point, be able to defeat you myself, but I do have an advantage over you."

"What's that?"

"I know your weakness."

A blinding flash of white caused Cas to keel over, his body free from the bond. When he opened his eyes he was laying in a bed in the familiar motel room, to his relief. He looked to his left and there saw Dean, peacefully dreaming with his leg draped around Cas'. That was the first time Castiel had dreamt.

And the human, that contently slept next to him, that was his weakness.


	12. Chapter 12

The following morning, Cas was all ready to face Raphael. In the back of his mind he was worrying over his first dream, and the danger his love put Dean susceptible to. He straightened his tie, and slipped his angel blade into the pocket in his coats interior. Dean and Sam were in the other room, no doubt making the same preparations for the battle.

When the angel walked out of the bedroom, he was surprised to see the two brothers lounging on the couch, teasing each other and drinking coffee leisurely. Dean turned his head when he heard Cas enter the room, and jumped off the couch joyfully to greet the angel with a kiss.

"Shouldn't you guys be getting ready?" Castiel asked, looking at the TV which was playing cartoons, and then back at Dean who was smiling.

"Well, Sammy and I decided we may as well take an extra day off. We're in Chiacgo, it's a beautiful city, and it may very well be our last day on Earth. Why not make the most of it?" Dean said, nudging Cas with his elbow, trying to convince him of the idea. "We figured Raphael probably knows we're here, and I doubt he'll be going anywhere without finding us first."

Cas' face look puzzled as he considered the idea. In his gut he felt the urgency of defeating Raphael, mostly to protect Dean. But the human was right, anyone of them could die tomorrow, and Castiel would not pass up an opportunity to spend an extra 24 hours with his favorite human.

"Alright," Cas concurred, allowing a slight smile on his lips. Dean beamed at the acceptance, and kissed his mouth.

"That's my boy," he said, before running over to the coffee table to retrieve Sam's laptop. He opened the lid and started typing excitedly.

"So, I was thinking we could just walk around the city, you know, look for some fun places to go." The expression on Dean's face was akin to a 15 year old girl, getting ready for her first date. He tapped his foot happily, and started singing "Ramble On" by Led Zeppelin in an exaggerated voice. Cas marveled at the happiness of his hunter. With all Dean had been through, it was lovely to see him with so much positivity. He decided to push his worries to the rear of his mind, and allow himself to enjoy the day.

Sam reached into his duffle bag and pulled out a small camera, and slung the lanyard around his neck.

"You ready to go?" the younger hunter asked, and was answered by enthusiastic nods.

* * *

The trio loaded the back of the impala up with a cooler of beer and stopped at a local fast food joint to pick up some burgers. Dean refused to let Sam eat, for what could be his last meal, rabbit food. They drove the impala further into town and parked close to a park. They sat under an old oak tree and sipped at the beer. Dean teased Sam about his obsession with morning jogs, and Sam threw fries at his brother to retaliate.

Cas basked in the sunlight, watching Dean laugh and smile with adoration. The hunter caught his glance, and pulled himself closer, leaning his head on the angel's shoulder. Sam smiled at their recently established openness, and pulled his camera up.

"Say cheese!" Sam said as Dean yanked Cas' face over and pressed his lips on his cheek. In the picture, Castiel's eyes were crinkled around the edges, focused slightly off to the side, as his lips pulled back in a wide smile. Dean's lips were resting upon Cas' accentuated cheekbone, his arms wrapped firmly around his neck.

"We're definitely gonna have to frame that one." Dean chuckled as he viewed the picture on the camera, kissing Cas on the cheek once more.

A dark gray cloud passed in front of the sun, creating an overcast sky. Cas felt a drop of rain splash on his nose, before thousands more came dribbling down. The branches of the oak tree did not entirely protect them from the downpour, so they threw their jackets over their head and ran across the street to take shelter under the front of a store.

Dean turned to face Castiel, and held his hand. His hair was even shinier when wet, and fell to just above his blue eyes. Dewy drops of rain stuck to the stubble on his chin, and dripped down his neck. He looked at Dean with so much love and intensity that the human's mind began to wonder.

Sammy had walked two shops down to a pharmacy where he planned to print the pictures they took. An idea manifested in Dean's mind and he raced to catch up.

"I'll be right back Cas!" he called through a crowd of people, who had gathered to escape the rain as well.

Sam stood at the photo printing station, flipping through the pictures, deciding which ones to keep. He saw Dean enter the store, and snuck off to the back isles. He chose three pictures to print; the one of Dean and Cas, one of Dean and himself, and one of all three of them that a stranger had kindly taken.

Dean walked over with a plastic bag, and a receipt in his hand. He patted Sam on the back, clutching the bag protectively to his side.

"Ready to head back to the motel?" he said, sounding in a rush.

"Um, sure." Sam said, allowing Dean to lead them out of the store.

The three of them packed their belongings back into the trunk. The rain had softened, but it was still too damp and cloudy to continue their day outside. Cas climbed in the backseat, rubbing a hand through his hair in order to somewhat dry it off.

Dean set his plastic bag down in the front seat while he slipped the receipt into his back pocket and swung the car keys around his finger.

"What did you buy anyway?" Sam asked, grabbing the bag from the front seat, but his arm was caught by Dean. The older hunter's eyes were stern as he tried to pull the bag back. The younger brother shook off his grasp and continued to open the bag to Dean's dismay.

Sam's eyes widened, and he blushed before throwing the plastic bag back on the driver's seat. Dean rolled his eyes at his brother's reaction and put the keys in the ignition.

"I tried to tell you, Sammy."

Castiel's brow furrowed in confusion as Sam looked between Dean and Cas uncomfortably and cleared his throat.

"Look's like I'll be heading to the bar tonight then."


	13. Chapter 13

As soon as the three boys had arrived back at the motel, Dean had disappeared into the bedroom, locking the door behind him, and leaving Cas and Sam alone. After quickly changing into a set of dry clothes, Sam walked out the door while mumbling something profane about Dean under this breath, taking the keys of the Impala with him.

Cas stood at the sink in the bathroom, rubbing a towel through his hair that had been soaked in the rain. He had draped his dripping trench coat over the towel rack, and rolled up the sleeves of his white button down shirt over his elbows. His tie hung lose around his neck, and his shoes and socks were sitting by the front door, caked in mud.

The angel stood leaning against the sink, wondering what Dean could possibly be doing. He walked over to the bedroom door, tapping it lightly with his fist.

"Dean, what are you-" he started.

"Don't come in!" Dean yelled from the other side of the door, cutting Cas off. All the angel could hear was the scampering footsteps of Dean as he rushed around the room, and then a steady lull of music.

Before Cas could walk away, Dean opened the door, and swiftly closed it behind him, not allowing Castiel to peek inside. The hunter stood facing him, guarding the door with his arms as he gave Cas a sheepish smile.

"What's going on Dean?" the angel asked, obviously not understanding the reason behind Dean's secretiveness.

Dean let out a heavy sigh, a swung the door open behind him, stepping aside to let Cas view the room.

The bed was made perfectly, with the sheets folded over in a arrangement that was a refreshing change from the crumpled mess it had been in the previous nights. Sprinkled across the white surface of the covers, as well as on the floor leading up to the bed were red rose petals. The room was lit only by the groups of scented candles that appeared on the bed side table, and on the chest of drawers. On a table next to the bed was a box of condoms, and a small bottle of lube. Dean's iPod was plugged into a dock, and a familiar tune swelled from the speakers and filled the air around them.

When Heaven and Hell decide, that they both are satisfied. Illuminate the no's on their vacancy signs. If there's no one beside you when your soul embarks, then I'll follow you into the dark…

As Cas' eyes wondered around the room, he turned to look at Dean. The hunter blushed lightly, and then bowed his head looking down at the floor. After a moment of shyness he lifted his eyes with a hint of question, waiting for the angel's response.

"What's all this?" asked Castiel, awestruck by the romantic set up he never expected the hunter to be capable of.

"A while ago, before we faced Lucifer I mean, I told you I wouldn't let you die a virgin. We both know that didn't go as planned, so I was thinking… as long as we're facing another possible last night on Earth, we should try again." Dean rubbed the back of his neck nervously, as this was his first attempt at true romance.

Castiel's eyes widened as he finally understood. Rather than responding with words that would never fully express his love for the hunter, he took Dean's hand, pulled him in close, and kissed him forcefully. Dean breathed deeply, sinking into the angel's lips, wrapping his shaky arms around his waist. Castiel pulled back momentarily and gazed into Dean's green eyes. His mouth twisted into a worried grimace as he wondered how we would ever live without his hunter. Then after a moment's contemplation, he found the answer. He couldn't.

Dean recognized the trouble in Cas' eyes and rested the bridge of his nose against the angel's. He closed his eyes and began swaying their bodies to the music. Both of them tightened their grasps around each other as their breathing matched in rhythm, slow and steady.

"Cas," Dean started, his eyes still shut. "Whatever happens tomorrow, just know that I'll always love you."

As the hunter spoke in soft whispers, the two men could feel the fear existing between them. It was an unspoken fear of losing one another, a fear that neither of them were prepared to face.

Castiel picked up his hand and placed it on the side of Dean's neck, using his thumb to caress his jawline. He adjusted the position of his face, and set his bottom lip between the lips of the human. The kiss deepened as Dean parted his mouth, allowing his tongue to linger over the angel's lips. Cas sucked at Dean's bottom lip and ran his finger's through Dean's hair.

The hunter took one hand from around the angel's waist and tucked it under his shirt, running his nails over Cas' tensing muscles. He used his grip on his lower back to pull Cas further into his embrace, and his kisses got more aggressive. As Dean began to nibble at Cas' lips, he felt the angel's body go rigid. Dean loosened his grip, and pulled his face back, cupping Castiel's cheeks with his hands.

"If you don't want to do this, we don't have to," he said, his brow knitting together.

"I do, Dean. I'm more concerned with pleasuring you."

At these words, Dean smirked, pulled Castiel back into his chest, and began fiddling with his tie. Castiel slid his hands up Dean's chest, slowing to feel his heart pulse against his palm, and onto his shoulder's, pulling his jacket off. Dean brushed his finger tips over Cas' exposed collar bone, and then began undoing the buttons of his shirt. Their kissing only stopped momentarily when Dean lifted his arms to allow the angel to pull his t-shirt off.

With both of their chests now exposed, they held each other closely, radiating in each other's natural warmth, and rubbing gentle hands over smooth skin. Dean took a step back, blindly guiding them over to the rose petal covered bed. With his eyes closed, and his lips moving hungrily against Cas' neck, he felt the mattress hit the back of the knees, and laid back gently, pulling the angel on top of him.

With Castiel's full body weight pressing down on him, Dean could feel a bulge rising at the front of his pants. It only grew as the angel began rutting his hips steadily against it. The hunter rolled over and mirrored the action on Cas, the angel forcing his mouth closed to stifle his moans of desire.

Dean took this as a challenge, sliding his tongue down Cas' neck, and toward his chest. He left several kisses on the angel's skin as he moved further down, stopping at his rib cage. There he sucked down, leaving red circles that would no doubt later become deep purple splotches. His hands grasped at Castiel's hip bones, using his grip to rub his chest over the angel's hardening erection. Cas bit his lip, attempting to withhold any pleasured sounds, but it became too much as Dean's tongue swept across his hip bones. The angel let out a deep groan, arching his back, and causing Dean to tremble.

The hunter began pulling at Cas' belt, covering the skin below the angel's belly button with his lips and tongue. When he pulled the belt off, he ran one hand over the hardness that stretched Castiel's pants, sending another moan out of his mouth. He dusted his lips over the zipper, and breathed hot air on the fabric, causing Cas to clutch wildly at the sheets around him. Dean unbuttoned and unzipped the pants, pulling them, and the boxers underneath, down past the angel's shaky knees.

Dean left gentle kisses on the thighs of his angel as he placed one hand around the base of his cock. He began sliding his hand slowly up and down the shaft, causing Cas to toss his head back at every pump. Then the hunter slid his tongue all the way up the angel's dick, causing Castiel to set his ankles on the small of Dean's back, and gasp in pleasure.

"Dean…" Cas whispered, as he set one hand through Dean's hair, pushing him down slightly. Dean took the head of the angels hard-on in his mouth, and played at the slit with his tongue.

Although he had never done this himself, Dean remembered all the techniques girls had used on him, and used it on his angel, much to Castiel's delight. The hunter wrapped his lips firmly around the shaft, and moved down slowly, filling his mouth with Castiel. The angel's back arched again, his heels digging into to the dimples on Dean's back. Dean could feel Cas' thighs tremble as he picked up his pace, taking as much of the angel in his mouth as he could.

The angel threw his hand down blindly, grabbing Dean's shoulder, and attempting to pull him up. When Dean refused to pull away, Cas opened his mouth to talk, but could only let out raspy moans.

"D-Dean… I-I want, I want you to fuck me…" Cas finally managed to say. This sentence caused Dean's green eyes to look up, so vividly full of hunger and desire. Dean nodded quickly, and fumbled to take his own pants off while Cas laid still on the bed.

Dean got up on his knees, forcing Cas to bend his legs. The hunter set his hands solidly on the angel's knees, and pulled his legs wide open. Dean reached over to the bedside table and grabbed the bottle of lube. He squeezed some over his index finger, and placed it at Cas' warm entrance. He rubbed small circles around the tight hole, and Castiel bit his lip, watching Dean's every move.

The hunter pushed one finger in, feeling Cas' tightness clasp around him. Cas let out a groan, somewhere between pain and absolute pleasure. Dean pushed in further, slowly stretching the angel out. After moving in and out several more times, Dean added a second finger. Cas hissed at the larger size, but held Dean's hand in place, not allowing him to pull away. Dean stretched his fingers apart, gradually, loosening Cas.

Dean pulled out, as the angel grumbled at the absence of the fingers. Dean stumbled to grab the box of condoms. He ripped one open, and pulled it over the head of his rock hard cock. He grabbed the bottle of lube again, spreading it generously onto the condom. He lined up his dick with Cas' now wider entrance, and pushed forward slowly. The hunter was much larger than the width of three fingers, but the angel's ecstasy overtook his pain.

Dean pushed in harder, realizing the angel had a high tolerance for pain, allowing the tight and warm hole to envelop his dick. He sat there for a second, his mind dizzy from the immense pleasure, and then started to move.

The hunter pulled his hips back slowly, and then pushed them forward at the same speed, sinking almost completely into Castiel. The angel wrapped his legs tightly around Dean, resting his heels on his ass. Cas pushed his heels down, forcing Dean to sink in deeper. The hunter was at a loss with the feeling that surged through his body, but happily obeyed.

With each movement, Dean pushed harder into the angel, forcing the headboard of the bed to knock against the wall. He looked down to see the angel's erection, bobbing against his stomach with each pump. He wrapped his hand around it, moving up and down at the same rhythm as his hips.

For the first time since they had begun, Cas opened his eyes, showing his pupils had dilated, covering much of the blue. His mouth gaped open and let out raspy breaths each time the hunter went deeper. He pulled his hand up, cupping Dean's chin, and locking their eyes together. As the gazed at each other, Dean got the motivation to move faster, jacking off Cas' erection still.

"Harder, Dean," commanded the angel, his eyes unwavering.

The expression on the angel's face and the tightness around his dick was almost too much for Dean to handle, and he pounded his hips against Cas'.

"Cas… oh-oh my god… I love you baby." Dean mumbled, his words separated by pleasured moans.

The angel let out one final moan as his cock pumped out white cum over his stomach. Watching his angel orgasm with him inside sent Dean over the edge, and his orgasm followed shortly, filling the condom with cum. Afterwards, he rested his mouth upon Cas' knee, kissing it softly. Both of them breathed deeply, eyes wide from their sexual high.

Dean rolled over on his side, pulling his condom off, and tossing it into the nearby waste bin. He grabbed a dirty t-shirt and wiped off Cas' stomach. He nestled up by the angel's side and kissed his shoulder.

"Thank you, Dean," was all Cas could say as his chest rose and fell with heavy breaths.

"Oh trust me, the pleasure was all mine." Dean responded, chuckling slightly.

"It wasn't all yours…" Cas rebutted seriously.

Dean laughed and wrapped his arms and legs around the angel, tangling their limbs together, while sweat stuck to their skin.

"Dean…" Cas said quietly, after his breathing had settled.

"Yeah, Cas?" replied the hunter.

"If I die tomorrow, I want you to know that this was the best day of my life."

He kissed Dean with all his force, wrapping an arm under his neck. He agreed to himself that he, following the last month or so, had lived a happy life. Even if it was his last day on Earth he rejoiced in the fact that he had spent it with his favorite human, the human who taught him how to love.


	14. Chapter 14

Dean awoke early the next morning, becoming aware of the absence of warmth he had grown accustomed to. He sat up quickly with one eye still stuck closed, and his hair piled wildly on his head. He found Cas sitting with his back to Dean, on the end of the bed. His clothes were still scattered on the floor, and the white sheets of the bed were folded tightly over his bare legs. The muscles of his back were tense, and his head bowed slightly in a pensive manner.

"Mornin' sunshine," Dean muttered as he rubbed his hazy eyes.

"Good morning Dean," Cas replied. His voice was monotone and his posture remained the same.

"Everything okay?" Dean asked, shifting his body to sit behind the angle, kissing his shoulder blade softly. Cas' body loosened as he sank into the kiss, cocking his head to one side as he felt the hunter trace his finger down his spine.

"I know where Raphael is." Cas announced plainly.

"Well what are we still doing here? Let's go get Sammy!" Dean exclaimed, rolling off the bed and untangling himself from the mass of sheets. He turned to noticed the angel had not changed positions. The only movement he allowed was his wondering eyes down Dean's naked body. He sighed and bowed his head again.

Dean walked toward him, and set his palms on either side of Cas' thighs, bending down so they were at eye level. "What's bothering you, Cas?" he questioned.

"I'm putting you in danger."

Dean scoffed at the admission. "Yeah, as if I've never been in dangerous situations before. Cas, I've literally been to hell and back. I'm a big boy and I can take care of myself." The hunter shifted his weight to his hands and leaned in to kiss the angel whose brow had furrowed.

"Anyway, so where is this son of a bitch?" Dean interjected.

"An old warehouse, about 10 miles away," Cas replied, his mouth remaining an inexpressive line.

"I'll go wake Sammy, you put some clothes on and grab your angel blade," Dean said, pulling on a shirt and jeans as he walked out the door toward where his younger brother slept.

* * *

For the remained of the time spent at the motel room, and the ride over to the warehouse, Castiel remained in an aloof state. While the two brothers chatted nervously from the front seats, the angel just stared out the window with a brooding expression.

They arrived at the warehouse, parking the Impala off slightly to the side beneath the shadows of a tree. The air surrounding the building was quiet and settled. No sounds of movement came from within the walls of the warehouse, and it gave an eerie aura.

Dean climbed out of the driver's seat and shut the door behind him, nodding apprehensively to his brother and the angel. Cas stepped around the car to where Dean was standing, and grabbed his waist. He pulled him in forcefully and smashed their lips together, savoring each moment of tasting Dean's mouth. He pulled his mouth away but kept their foreheads pressed together.

"I love you so much, Dean," he whispered with his eyes closed. The angel put his hand into the pocket of his trench coat and pulled out a peace of folded paper. He placed the item in Dean's hand, and then placed the hunter's hand over his own heart.

"I love you too, Cas." Dean responded. The angel sighed, and smiled sadly, then turned to walked toward the building with Sam. The sound of glass shattering coming from the inside preoccupied Dean, and he stuck the folded paper in his pocket to open later.

* * *

The three entered the warehouse, it was almost pitch black and smelled like burning rubber. Dean could barely see his feet as he walked slowly to the center of the massive room. His hand was wrapped around Cas' firmly, keeping each other close in the darkness.

Suddenly, the bright lights overhead flickered on, and standing before them was an African American man, dressed in a navy blue suit, a wicked smirk on his lips. It was Raphael.

"Castiel… I have been waiting for you."

The trio realized their presence was known, their company was expected. They had unintentionally sent themselves into a trap. This eliminated the element of surprise.

"You knew we'd come?" Sam asked standing a few feet away from the hunter and angel who still held hands.

"Who do you think told Castiel I would be in Chicago? That was one of my followers. I wanted you to come, brother. I wanted you to find me here."

"Why would you go through all that trouble to lure us into a trap?" Dean asked, squeezing Cas' fingers slightly.

"Do you not understand?" asked the angel, his eyes set angrily on Cas. "This is about you, Castiel. This is all about you. You and the angels who follow you have stood in the way of my plans for heaven, and you must be dealt with."

At these words, Raphael outstretched his hand, and Cas felt Dean's fingers rip from him. The hunter went flying back into the wall, caught there with his feet hovering inches above the ground. Raphael did the same to Sam, leaving Cas facing the other angel alone.

Castiel reached into this trench coat and pulled out the angel blade, and stepped to the side, keeping his eyes locked on Raphael who followed his movements.

The other angel lunged at Cas, who swung his arm out, punching Raphael in the jaw, and sending him stumbling back. Raphael retaliated, who attempted to strike Castiel with his angel blade, but it was caught by the other. Dean watched from the wall helplessly as the man he loved struggled to keep a step ahead of Raphael's frenzied attacks. Castiel was punched, causing a small red crack in his bottom lips. Then he grabbed Raphael's arm to his surprise, and sent his angel blade rolling across the floor.

Raphael stood, unarmed, with Cas aiming his angel blade directly at his chest.

"I am impressed brother. Your time with humans has not rendered you weak." Raphael spoke, his nostrils bloody from where he had been struck. "You are a good soldier, but you underestimate me."

"Cas, kill him!" Sam yelled from the wall. The other angel lifted a hand to silence him, and Sam fell the ground unconscious.

"What did you do to my brother you son of a bitch?" Dean screamed, struggling against his inability to move.

"Your brother is alive, human."

Dean grunted in fury as he tried to break from the bond, but was unsuccessful. Cas set his eyes on Dean, apologetic and loving. He hated Dean being trapped in that way, but it was a relief to see him uninvolved in the fight.

"Your sympathies for these creatures continue to amaze me, Castiel," Raphael spoke again, his eyes sparkling with arrogance. "If I cannot defeat you myself, I will do the next best thing."

"What's the next best thing?" Cas asked, his jaw clenching as he spoke.

"I will take away your reason to live."

At these words, Raphael snapped his fingers, and reappeared in front of Dean, a shiny silver knife in his hand. Dean continued to fight against his frozen body, but wouldn't budge. Cas froze as Raphael sent him a wicked smile, and then sunk the blade into Dean's stomach, forcing the human to whimper in pain. Then the other angel vanished.

"Dean!" Castiel screamed as his hunter fell to the floor, his hand grasping the bloodied hole in his stomach. The angel ran over, and knelt to his side. Dean's back was leaning against the wall but his body went slack and quivered at the pain. The angel grasped his hand, and held it up to his mouth, kissing his knuckles gently.

He put a hand over his stomach to heal it, but it did nothing. He looked around and noticed sigils written high on the walls that prevented him from using this power. He cupped Dean's jaw with his hand and rubbed it gently with his thumb.

"Dean, don't let go. You have to hold on. You can't leave me… Dean, I need you… Don't leave me…" The tears started dripping from the angel's eyes, falling on Dean's bloodied hand, as the hunter's eyes started to droop closed.

"Dean Winchester…" spoke a cold voice from behind Castiel. The angel turned to see a frail old man, with greasy black hair sleeked back, and an angular face.

It was Death.

"N-no… no… You can't take him!" Castiel weeped as he rocked back and forth with Dean's fingers pressed to his lips.

"It is his time to go, Castiel. You know that." Dean responded cooly.

The angel looked down at the hunter, his body was shaking slightly, as the life began to fade from his eyes. His fingers began to go limp in Castiel's hands. He remembered his vow to himself.

_He would keep him safe until his last breath._

"Take me instead," Castiel whispered, not moving his eyes from the hunter's.

"What was that?" Death asked.

"Take me instead!" This time, the angel yelled it, turning his face to look Death directly in his black eyes. Then his eyes softened and he gazed back a Dean. "Please…"

Death contemplated this idea. Dean Winchester was a novelty, but an angel was a fair trade, he decided.

"As you wish…" Dean agreed, stretching out a pale and thin finger toward the angel.

"W-wait, give me a minute with him."

Death dropped his hand and nodded solemnly, taking a small step back.

"Dean, baby, I have to go now, okay? I have to keep you safe." Dean's eyes fluttered open momentarily when he heard Castiel's voice looming in his ear. "I promised myself I'd keep you safe, and I will not break that promise. I love you Dean, I love you so much. You are so strong and you have to keep fighting for me, okay?" The angel's tears began to fall in constant streams as he held the hunters hand tight. Cas leaned down and planted a warm kiss on the hunter's forehead. "I will always love you."

The angel nodded at the horseman, and Death lifted the finger once again, placing it on Cas' forehead. His body went limp at the touch, and he laid back on the cold floor. Dean gasped as the life reentered him, and looked horrified as his angel lay on the floor, heaving as he smiled at the hunter for the last time.

"Cas? Cas?! What's going on?" Dean screamed as he crawled to the angel, lifting his head onto his lap. He brushed the hair from his face, and began to cry as the blue in his eyes faded away.

The angel reached forward shakily and grasped the hunter's hand once again.

"Dean… Thank you…"

"For what Cas?" the hunter asked panicked, the tears escaping from his eyes as he blinked.

"For teaching me how to love…"

The angel's hand went limp. The life vacated from his ocean blue eyes, leaving the glassy look of nothingness. His body shuddered at his last breath, and then ceased to move. His mouth which has been stretched into a slight smile, relaxed.

Castiel was gone.

Sam was awake now, slowly approaching his brother, as he rocked Cas' empty vessel and softly sang their song.

_"Love of mine… Some day you will die…"_

"Dean…"

_"But I'll be close behind…"_

"Dean, you have to let go of him. He's gone."

_"I'll follow you into the dark…"_

"Come on, I'll help you carry him to the car."

Dean stopped rocking. "No, I'll do it myself." He heaved himself up, keeping one arm under the angel's neck, and the other under his back. His knees buckled under the weight but he continued to walk forward.

"He died for me."


	15. Chapter 15

The sun was setting, and an orange glow was leaking over the grassy hill, stretching the shadows of the two brothers who stood before a cross. It was planted in the ground, and stood over a patch of recently disturbed earth. It was a grave. The grave of an angel.

Dean was standing there, slouching, his eyes swollen and pink. He stared at the bit of earth that now covered his best friend, the love of his life, and felt empty. Not only had he watched the very life evacuate from the blue eyes he had always treasured, but he was responsible. Castiel had died for him, and now he had to live the remainder of his days without his angel. His prayers would go unanswered, and he would never love again. Dean was numb.

Sam scooped the last bit of dirt on top of the mound, forever sealing Cas within his unmarked grave. He set the shovel down, and rubbed the dirt off his hands. His brother had not spoken, and he had barely moved.

"Dean…" Sam said softly.

His older brother did not acknowledge his words, but kept his eyes locked on the cross.

"Dean." Sam said again, this time more abruptly.

Dean momentarily snapped out of his trance, turning his head slightly to look at his brother.

"I thought you might like to say a few words." Sam said.

Dean turned his head to face the grave again, this time taking a small step forward so his toes were bordering the patch of dirt.

"Cas was one the best people I have had the chance of meeting…." Dean started. "Sure he was a little uptight and didn't understand pop culture references… but he was family." The hunter's voice shook and he set a hand over his mouth as tears welled up in his eyes.

"He came into my life at a time where I had lost all hope, and he stayed… He stayed with me when no one else was around, and he was loyal, and caring, and would stop at nothing to protect us. He rebelled, he turned his back on his family, and everything he knew, for us." At this point tears were streaming steadily out of Dean's eyes. "Cas, you saved me. In more ways than one. You saved me from hell, you saved me from Michael, but most importantly, you saved me from myself. You saw every side of me, the good, and the bad, but never once did you second-guess me. Until your last breath you vowed to always protect me, and that's exactly what you did…. I-I don't know how I'm gonna live without you man, but I know I have to because that's what you wanted… I'm not sure if you've got your ears on, wherever you are, but you need to know that I'll never forget you and…. I will always, always love you…"

Sam began to tear up as he watched his brother fall to his knees, the streams of tears falling rapidly. He looked up at the sky momentarily, and then let his face fall into his hands, making whimpering sounds as his back shook. Sam Winchester had seen his brother in pain, he had even seen him lose his will to live, but never had he seen him so… empty.

"Dean… I know you don't want to leave him… but we should check back at Bobby's. We can come back to visit him in a few days if you want."

The older hunter did not say a word, but slowly rose from his kneeling position, keeping his eyes on the ground before him. "Wait…" he said to his brother, pulling his army knife out of his pocket, and walked closer to the cross.

Dean sat there and carved at the cross for a minute or so, carefully inscribing a word onto the light brown wood. He did it with so much focus and care, not letting the tears that blurred his vision fall for a moment. When he stood to walk away, Sam peered past him at what he had just written.

_Castiel_

"He deserves more than an unmarked grave."

Sam nodded in agreement, and then turned to walk back to the Impala which was parked just down the road.

Dean lingered behind, moving his hand to lay on his shoulder, pressing it carefully into the pink handprint that was still there. That's all that remained of his angel, the only trace that he had entered the Winchester's lives. But then a thought popped into Dean's mind. Castiel had given him something right before they walked into the warehouse. Dean let the hand drop from his shoulder, and touched the top of his pocket, feeling the bulge of the paper.

Dean carefully pulled the paper out of his pocket, pressed between shaky fingers. He unfolded it, the back facing up, and looked to see a single word, written in intricate cursive font.

_Always._

Dean flipped the paper over, and smiled while the tears began to pour once again. It was the picture of Dean kissing his angel on the cheek, during the day at the park. Cas filled with a happiness and a love that made Dean's heart flutter. He ran a finger over the image of Castiel, keeping his eyes locked on the piercing blue that twinkled, even in the photograph.

Dean remembered what the angel had told him, that same night, his last night on Earth.

"If I die tomorrow, I want you to know that this was the best day of my life."

Dean bit his quivering lip to stifle more vicious tears, and let his mouth pull into a soft smile. He never cease to miss his angel, but deep down he knew Cas had died happy. He had died protecting his hunter.

His mind swam over his memories with Castiel. The first time the met, the fear he felt when watching him explode, the sheer joy he felt when he appeared, the first time they kissed, the first time he said "I love you" and the first time they made love. The loss he felt at this moment was crippling, but his time spent with Castiel was the best he ever had.

"Always." Dean agreed out loud, bringing the photograph up to his lips and pressing a kiss against the image of Castiel.


	16. Chapter 16

The year was 2048. Dean was in his early 70's, and was dying of heart failure. The doctors gave him 3 weeks to live, and it had been 3 and a half.

Dean's green eyes had gone dull, his hair turned brittle and gray. His skin wrinkled over the freckles on his nose and cheeks, and his lips were dry and cracked. He lay in his hospital bed, heaving as he felt his heart beat in his chest, each pump a muted thud which caused him to wince in pain.A gray knitted blanket was draped over his waist, and a pale blue hospital gown clung to his boney shoulders.

One hand clung to the TV remote, the channel on mute, his eyes staring blankly at a wall. His other hand was wrapped firmly around the hand of his brother, his thin fingers pale and trembling. 

"Dean…" Sam whispered. The younger hunter had aged significantly, wrinkles sweeping out from the corner of his eyes, widening as his brow furrowed. His hair was still long, but had taken on a silver shine. His brother's gaze did not falter, but his hand twitched as Sam's voice pierced the silence that had spread through the hospital room. Dean finally let his weary eyes slide over to view his brother's hand which was held firmly around his. He eyed the golden ring on Sam's finger that felt cold against his knuckles. It twinkled even after years of age.

Three years after Cas passed away, Sam had gotten married. Her name was Stephanie, and she once had long wavy blonde hair much like Jess. Even after years of age, even after she cut the blonde hair to just under her chin, her blue eyes shone like they did when she had looked at Sam and said her vows. They had two children, and now Sam was a grandfather to a little baby boy, whose name was Dean.

"Sammy," Dean coughed out, struggling to form proper syllables under the pressure of his slowing heart beat. "I need to say something, before I lose my chance."

"Dean… Don't talk like that," Sam whimpered as he watched his brother struggle to keep his eyes open. He knew that his brother was on borrowed time, hanging from a thin thread that would inevitably break, but he couldn't let go. 

"Sammy, we both know that I-I don't have much longer left, so let me speak, please. Hey, I was… never meant to make it this far anyway." Dean chuckled slightly, but wheezed as the pain grew deep in his chest. He squeezed his younger brother's fingers gently, and looked him deep in the eyes. "I- I am so proud of you, little brother," he spoke softly. "You got out… You… you fell in love, and you had children. You have made me so proud, Sammy…" His voice shook as he spoke his little brother's name for the last time. "I'm proud of us."

Sam wiped the tear that leaked down his cheek bone, squeezing his eyes closed to fight against others that threatened to appear. He felt his arms begin to shake as he realized these were his brothers last moments on Earth. The monitor that was strapped up to Dean was beeping, increasingly slower, each beat piercing the air with an unforgiving stab. Sam bit his quivering lip and lay his second hand upon Dean's. 

"I love you, Dean." Was all he could choke out before the tears forced their way out, sticking in his eyelashes, and rolling down his aged cheeks. 

Dean no longer felt the dire need to protect Sam. He was a man, with a family, who lived in a suburban home with a white picket fence, who ate apple pie, and enjoyed home-cooked meals around a wooden table. 

Sam had imagined how it would end for much of his life. He had seen Dean die countless times. Various times at the hands of the trickster as he relived the same Tuesday again and again, and then as a victim to the vicious claws and teeth of a hellhound. He remembered Dean's screams and yelps of pain, as his flesh was ripped open, his eyes laced with the unmistakable look of pure terror. Dean, and his brother for that matter, had always expected to end bloody and violent. But not like this, not how Dean lay with his head upon a pillow, his eyes lacking any fear or sadness, his face calm and serene.

The older man, his eyes still locked on Sam, allowed his shaking lips to stretch into one last small smile. He could feel the darkness nipping at the corner of his eyes, begging to drag him in completely. The monitor's beeps slowed even further, threatening to cease at any moment. He moved his green eyes away one last time, and focused on something that sat on his bedside table.

Then Sam understood.

On the table sat a small wooden picture frame, aimed toward Dean. The colors of the picture had faded significantly over it's years of wear, but despite it's age, two things twinkled like they had the day it was taken. 

A set of blue eyes. The blue eyes of an angel. 

Dean studied the wrinkles that framed Castiel's eyes as he smiled against the force of Dean's lips on his cheek. He studied the way his own fingers lay upon the angel's cheeks, smooth and tanned, blushing slightly against the black stubble that sprinkled his jaw. Dean parted his lips, struggling to make a sound. Finally, he forced out a single word.

"Always."

The monitor beeped only once more. The weak spark in his cloudy eyes disappeared. His gripped around Sam's hand loosened. Everything went black. Dean Winchester was gone.

 

* * *

Dean felt a breeze roll through his hair. The sound of leaves rustling against each other, causing him to blink, the darkness interrupted with a sudden blinding light. He blinked again, and again, allowing his eyes to adjust to the brightness. Finally, he opened his eyes completely, and studied the scenery around him.

He stood before a porch, the porch of a quaint blue house. It took a moment for Dean to realize he was standing in front of Bobby Singer's house, a location he had not visited in years. It looked new, the wood varnished and pristine, not chipping like he had remembered it. He stood in a grassy field, lacking in piles of old cars and scraps of metal.

He started to step forward, taking cautious strides toward the front door. He reached a steady hand out and grasped the door knob, turning it to find it was unlocked. 

The interior was much like he remembered it, furniture cluttered with books and foreign ingredients, a look that gave Dean a sense of nostalgia. He had grown to love this home, with all of its quirks and flaws. Only one thing remained different, a gentle humming noise that came from within a room.

He turned and looked in the mirror that hung by the door.

His thin, gray hair was replaced by a thick patch of sandy brown hair, that shone in the sun that leaked through the windows. His eyes were emerald green and shining brilliantly, sans the cloudiness that once covered them. His skin, once leathery and wrinkled, was smooth. 

He was young again.

He turned his attention back to the humming sound, realizing it's source was in the room that he once slept in. The muffled melody was difficult to make out from behind the walls, but as he grew closer, he realized it was music. The sound was the only sign of any life from within the house, but he shuffled towards it with determination.

He turned the handle, and pushed the door open a crack. Immediately, a familiar tune flooded his ears, and cause goosebumps to rise on his skin.

_"If Heaven and Hell decide, that they both are satisfied…"_

He shivered at the words that would forever be etched into the back of his mind. Other than the sweet sound coming from an old record player, and a few pieces of familiar furniture, the room was empty. Not another soul in sight.

He was about to close the door, until his eyes fixed on a chair that sat in the corner of the room. A piece of clothing was draped over the back of the chair, and his heart skipped a beat.

It was a trench coat.

He felt his heart flood with emotions, and tears began prickling the bottom of his eyes. He froze, feeling his heart beat strongly in his chest, the sound rising up to his ears, and causing his head to spin. Suddenly he heard the floorboards creak slightly behind him. He spun around swiftly, and froze once more, eyes widening as he looked at the source of the sound.

"Hello, Dean."

Castiel smiled widely, tears gathering in his eyes, making them sparkle. His hair was still dark and shiny, piled on top of his head in messy wisps. His white buttoned up shirt was rolled above his elbows, and unbuttoned slightly over his smooth chest, his tie hanging loosely around his neck. After so many years, he was just as beautiful as Dean had remembered.

The hunter ran forward, diving into the embrace of the angel, longingly taking in the warmth he had been living without for so long. He began to sob as he felt Cas' arms tighten around his waist, pulling him further into the curves of his body.

"Cas…" He cried, refusing to loosen his grip. "Cas… I had to live so long without you. Not a day went by that- that I didn't think about you. You were in my mind until the very end." His voice quivered as his whole body shook within the arms of the angel, overwhelmed by the feeling of his arms, and hair which was pressed under his chin.

"I've been waiting for you, Dean… this whole time I've been waiting… I missed you more than words can begin to describe." The angel's usual stern tone was no longer as tears began to fall steadily from his ocean blue eyes. They lingered in each other's warmth, refusing to let go, insisting they make up for lost time.

"I love you. I never stopped loving you." The hunter spoke again, his words needy as if trying to convince the angel he had not betrayed their profound bond.

"I know, Dean, I know. I love you. And never, for one second, did I regret the decision I made. You were able to live a full life, like you deserved."

"B-but… Cas, I wanted you. You and Sam were my whole life. Then Sam got a life of his own, and I had nothing."

"Shhh," Cas cooed gently in his ear. "I'm hear now, Dean, we have each other once again. That is all that matters."

The hunter loosened his grip slightly, and leaned back to gaze into the eyes he had been achingly missing. He admired the brilliant blue, and the contrast against his dark eyelashes. He stood there for a moment, just looking, until he cupped his strong hands around the angel's jaw, and gently brought their lips together.

The soft sensation of Cas' lips made Dean's mind melt, their rhythm perfect as if no time had passed at all. He slid his hand along the angel's jaw, and to the back of his head, feeling the soft hair against his finger tips. He felt Cas' smile under the kiss, his eyes dropping tears upon Dean's nose. They stood their for a moment, taking advantage of their closeness, the closeness that had been without for decades. Cas pulled back slightly, Dean filling with sadness at the absence of his lips, momentarily fearing he would open his eyes, and Cas would be gone again.

But when he open them he was greeted with blue eyes that gazed at him with so much intensity and love that had not diminished over the years, but had grown stronger. Cas took Dean in his arms once again, pecking soft kisses at his cheek as they swayed to the tune of their song.

_"I will follow you into the dark..."_

And that is how they stayed, together, in their own little chapter of heaven.

Always.

 


End file.
